GIVE MORE ATTENTION TO FRUIT 175 



Good drainage is important in the apple orchard as else- 

 where. The apple does not like "wet feet." For that 

 simple reason it succeeds more often on naturally well- 

 drained rolling land than in low, soggy places. 



Just after the leaf buds in the spring and before the 

 blossom buds open the old orchard should be given a 

 good spraying with the regular Bordeaux mixture and 

 paris green, or lime-sulphur and arsenate of lead ; another 

 one just after the blossoms drop, and a third some time 

 later if troubled with the coddling moth, which is almost 

 sure to be the case in an old orchard. This fight against 

 the coddling moth must be unrelenting. The worm is 

 migratory, traveling surprising distances in its work of 

 destruction. Spraying should be done in any part of the 

 season when pests are seen. A spraying after the fruit 

 has been gathered in the fall is recommended in orchards 

 where pests are numerous. 



Constant cultivation of old orchards has taken from 

 the soil mineral elements that must be supplied by arti- 

 ficial means. This soil was at one time rich in vegetable 

 and mineral matter, and the trees yielded an abundance 

 of fine apples. Soil and climatic change is not an un- 

 common occurrence, and experiments have been made to 

 introduce the right trees and to improve the soil. 



The Northwest requires trees of a very rugged nature, 

 and they can be adapted to the soil by experiments. We 

 need more of this work by farmers and practical or- 

 chardists. Too much is left to the experiment stations, 

 the nurserymen, and to scientists. Every orchardist 

 should have his own stock, and each season some test 

 should be made of new varieties, selecting of course, those 

 most naturally adapted to his locality. 



To be successful in fruit growing more attention must 

 be given to secure fruit of high quality. If only first- 

 class fruit be offered for sale the demand for it will be 

 enormously increased. 



