April, 1913] THE RE.JUNEVATION OF OLD ORCHARDS 



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causes may, be directly concerned in the orchard's downfall. With 

 the exception of two, old age and poor location, all may be remedied 

 and the orchard saved if its condition is still good enough to justify 

 the expense. 



Is THE ORCHARD WORTH REJUNEVATING? This question should 

 first be answered before any outlay of money is made. Many among 

 the thousands of old orchards are not worth working with, and the 

 sooner they reach the woodpile and the land used to better purpose, 

 the better off will be the owner. Figure 1 shows a part of such an 

 orchard. Atrociously pruned or rather butchered with an axe, 

 never sprayed, never fertilized, sixty years of age, lower limbs 

 twenty-five feet from the ground, weakened by decay, ravished by 

 disease and infested with dangerous insects, it stands a monument 

 to neglect, too worthless to be reclaimed, a menace to its neighbors 



FIG. 1. "Atrociously pruned never sprayed, never fertilized, sixty years of age, 

 lower limbs twenty-five feet from the ground it is too worthless to be reclaimed." 



and a disgrace to the fruit growers of West Virginia. In another 

 orchard (fig. 8) the trees have only suffered by neglect without 



