STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 97 



have produced much fruit, and I have never fully understood why 

 they should not do so. I would really like to hear the opinions 

 of the fruit growers here, some of whom have had experience with 

 trees for the last twenty years, as to what the results have been. 

 I do not think it right for us to go away without making an effort 

 to consider the question, and consider it well. 



Dr. True. I wish some farmer here who has had large experi- 

 ence with apple trees, would give us his opinion in regard to the 

 quantity of manure necessary to a tree, and the production from 

 the tree thus treated. 



The President. I will call upon Mr. Smith of Monmouth, to 

 give us this information. 



Mr. Smith. I have an old orchard of about two acres in this 

 town, the trees of which are grafted with standard varieties of 

 apples. When I bought the farm on which this orchard stands, 

 about fifteen years ago, it was in a very low condition, owing to 

 the treatment it had received. I think I have added to that 

 orchard, within the last twelve years, thirty or forty cords of 

 manure, and perhaps twice that amount, and also more than one 

 hundred bushels of ashes and more than twenty tons of mulching. 

 I brought out a broad green leaf, and I presume if you had cut 

 into one of those trees fifteen years ago you could not have 

 counted the fibres, they were so close together, but that they 

 might be distinctly seen now. It has borne very well and I have 

 sold a great deal of fruit from it. The trees are now in good con- 

 dition, and I will say that for the last two years I have considered 

 that orchard, or the produce of it, equal to the profits of my hay, 

 and I cut twenty tons of good hay. Now others can do as well 

 as I can. If I were to be taken from that farm and placed on a 

 farm where there was no orchard, I should feel very much as 

 Adam did when turned out of Eden, I should expect to get my 

 living by the sweat of my face. 



Mr. Varney. I did not quite understand the idea of Dr. True 

 in relation to the one cord of manure to a tree. 



Dr. True. I was a little afraid I might be misunderstood. I 

 will put the question to you, Mr. Varney ; will one cord of ma- 

 nure once in three years do ? Perhaps it would be well to put it 

 in the form of a practical question, as it is a practical question, 

 and one that will apply all over our State, where there are old 

 orchards : Is it best to use such large quantities of manure or not ? 

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