«0 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doe. 



only trouble with it is, it is inclined to overbear, and unless 

 care is taken, we will lose in the end, for the tree will over- 

 work itself. If it can have proper culture, if it can have 

 proper pruning, if the yield can be thinned to the best 

 advantage, there is no apple in the world that can stand 

 ahead of the Sutton Beauty, — color, form and quality con- 

 sidered. 



I would like to speak of apples originating in Massachu- 

 setts. I Avas led, in connection with my work for the St. 

 Louis Exposition, to carefully compile and arrange the list 

 of apples first grown and named in Massachusetts ; and my 

 list, carefully collated, and Avithout one of doubtful origin 

 included, was ninety-seven varieties. Among them will 

 be found a large proportion of the most valuable market 

 varieties of to-day. Some of these apples, both productive 

 and delicious, are being lost because they are not " market" 

 varieties ; and this is such a commercial age that the ' ' mar- 

 ket" rules us all. Plant a hundred acres to apple orchard, 

 and none of our lecturers would advise to exceed twelve 

 varieties, and some of these not for excellence, but for the 

 " market." I sometimes wish some enterprising farmer, 

 with the flavor of the good old times in his heart, would 

 endow a farm for perpetuating delicious but unprofitable 

 varieties, that are so rapidly being lost to view, though to 

 memory dear. 



The Chair, I have noticed, in travelling about the State, 

 some old and neglected orchards ; and the query has been 

 made to me, whether those orchards were worth improving. 

 Would it ])ay to regraft those trees, or would it be better 

 to cut them down to the m-ound? Some one has sugsrested 

 to me that that is the best method of improvement, — to cut 

 them down to the ground, let them grow up their suckers, 

 and then bud tluMu. It is, perhaps, a prac^tical question. 



Mr. Powell. That question comes to me frequently. I 

 have during the past year looked over perhaps not less than 

 twenty dift'erent farms for purchasers, and have found upon 

 them invariably old ai)pl(! orchards. It is surprising to note 

 the extent to w^hich city people are buying farms to-day. It 

 is a part of my work to give judgment upon lands for the 



