STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 81 



We think oue of the greatest obstacles to an}- immediate iraprovemeat, 

 lies iu the fact that too many of our orcliardists cannot see the need of 

 any radical change in their orchard management. They do not have 

 faith enough in the methods whicli are now recommended to expend the 

 time and monej- required and are satisfied with too small returns. If 

 they decide to try a little experimenting it is in a lialf-hearted way, and 

 this particularly in the matter of spraying for the apple scab. Squirting 

 a little Bordeaux mixture once or twice during the season, without refer- 

 ence to time or manner will be of no perceptible benefit and many an 

 orehardist has condemned the whole thing as a humbug after a little 

 experience of this kind. 



Much in the same line is the fertilizing where the manure is piled 

 around the trunk of the tree and mulching which is kept iu close quarters 

 for fear of killing too much grass and thus shortening the hay crop. 



Xow I would not have the orehardist think that spraying, even in a 

 thorough manner, is the only requisite for perfect fruit. The tree must 

 first be furnished with plenty of food and the ground kept in good condi- 

 tion. Supplement this with spraying, using the proper mixtures at the 

 right time, in a thorough manner and he can be as sure of good returns 

 as from any crop that is raised on tlie farm. Greater care should be 

 taken in the selection of varieties. Xot oul}^ to take varieties suited to 

 soil and location but to discard nearly all the new varieties which are 

 not known in the market. Buyers paj- the best prices for the old 

 standards. 



It is now believed by those who have made investigations that the 

 blossoms of certain varieties of apple need to be fertilized with pollen 

 from some other variety- to give a full crop, and when the Bellflower, 

 Spy, King, Talman Sweet and some other varieties which ai-e more or less 

 self sterile, are planted, some other varieties should be planted in the 

 immediate neighborhood, to furnisli pollen. 



Do I hear some oue ask. Can we, with all the labor which is now 

 necessary to grow good fruit, compete successfully with other sections 

 where the soil is rich and the trees grow rapidly and come into bearing 

 early? Let us look at both sides of the question. Do we not possess 

 some advantages? On the rich prairie soil whole orchards are frequently 

 killed by the sudden changes of temperature in winter, and even as far 

 north as Xew York, the chief difficulty in raising fruit is the late spring 

 frosts, which destroy the crop, added to this, a price so low in seasons 

 of plentj' that thej^ are allowed to rot on the trees, iu some sections. 



The risk from spring frosts in Maine is so slight that few people ever 

 consider it a possible factor when planting fruit trees, and for the past 

 thirty j'ears, good apples have never lacked for a market at double the 

 price it costs for picking and marketing. Take notice. I said good fruit 

 and this is what I am urging upon our orehardist?, that in the better care 

 of the orchard, fertilizing, pruning and spraying together with more care 

 in picking, sorting and marketing, lies the secret of mone}' making iu 



