72 STATE POMOLOQICAL SOCIETY. 



to starve in its cage, is dying: from hunger. Of course the fruit 

 wholly disappears, or diminishes in quantity and degenerates in 

 quality. Here, then, we have the known causes of decrepitude 

 and decay. 



Effects of Culture Illustrated by Examples. 



On the other hand, the past history of orchard culture affords to 

 the careful observer sufiBcieut instruction to insure success by the 

 emplo^^ment of suitable means. 



There may be many present who, as I have, may have seen the 

 fruit of a neglected apple tree doubled in size, trebled in quantity 

 and probably quadrupled in value, simply by the aid of swine 

 working the soil. 



Many years ago I was acquainted with an orchard which had 

 been well planted and carefully reared. In the days of its youth 

 it yielded goodly fruit in abundance. But being left for a long 

 period in grass, without manure, it had passed into the condition 

 usually seen in such cases, — the foliage feeble, thin and pallid, 

 the smooth bark of the twigs and branchlets without lustre, 

 branches dying from year to .year, fruit small and scanty. At 

 length one half of the orchard was plowed in the spring and 

 planted, with little or no manure. 



The first tinie that I saw this orchard after this new culture, I had 

 a view of it from the top of a high hill two miles distant, at the end 

 of summer. The change was striking. The newly cultivated 

 part had put on a rank and lively green, while the residue still 

 presented that well known faint, fading and languishing aspect 

 usually seen under such circumstances. 



Instances like these show the effect which the working of the 

 soil long uncultivated has upon the health and vigor of the tree. 

 We may refer to the common experience to prove that it is for a 

 time highly useful merely to work the soil without fertiliziers of 

 any sort. This arises in part from the evolution of native elements 

 by atmospheric action. But this effect will soon subside, and to 

 make the most of the capacity of the tree, in our soil, manure must 

 be applied. Its immediate effects, though matter of general expe- 

 rience, may be illustrated by a few suggestions. 



We have sometimes seen an apple tree which had long been left 

 to stand and die a lingering death, resuming its life upon one side 

 by reason of the casual application oi some fertilizer upon that 

 side onl}'. The sink spout of the new kitchen, or the out-house 

 of a railway station is so placed that fertilizing material is dis- 



