2 Maine; agricuIvTuraIv i;xpe;rimknt station. 



Maine SeiSdling Apples. 



Professor Munson came to the Station as horticulturist in 

 1891. He became greatly interested in the seedling apples that 

 originated in Maine. In the orchard at Orono he had collected 

 specimens of practically all of the Maine seedHng apples. The 

 severe winter of 1906- 1907 destroyed many of these trees. This 

 led to the publication in the spring of 1907 of bulletin 143 

 giving the history and description of the more important of the 

 seedling apples that originated in Maine. This is by far the 

 most complete and most accurate description of these varieties 

 extant, and makes a noteworthy contribution to the apple cul- 

 ture history of the State. 



In 1902 there was pubHshed a catalog and description of .the 

 hardiest apples growing in the State, including the Russian 

 varieties brought into the State by this Station and planted at 

 Orono, Houlton and Perham. This importation of Russian 

 varieties failed to give as valuable apples as was hoped, but it 

 stimulated orcharding in the more northern parts of the State 

 and in this way was productive of lasting benefit. 



Apple Culture Work Prior to Purchase oe High moor 



Farm. 



For ten years culture experiments with the apple were carried 

 out in the orchards of Mr. Charles S. Pope of Manchester. 

 These included a comparison of cultivation with mulching; the 

 necessity for fertilizing trees in virgin soil ; the relative merits 

 of stable manure and commercial fertilizers ; the effect of special 

 fertilizers ; experiments in orchard renovation ; top working a 

 Ben Davis orchard ; and a four year trial of the Fisher Formula 

 as an orchard fertilizer. In 1908 there was published as Bulle- 

 tin 155 of this Station a summary of this work. In general it 

 was found that the unfertilized trees made less growth than the 

 fertilized and the uncultivated than the cultivated. The unfer- 

 tilized trees clearly showed the need on that particular soil, at 

 any rate, the need of fertilizers. No apparent advantage from 

 the use of stable manure over commercial fertilizers was found. 



In the potash orchard no special effect from the application of 

 potash or from the dififerent forms of potash applied was found. 



