22 CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 



such a condition that the plant food would be available. The trees 

 were freed of dead wood, the worst canker-diseased limbs removed, 

 and the whole orchard was disinfected by the liberal use of Bordeaux 

 mixture and arsenic. Plant food was supplied to produce the first 

 essential crop, viz., new wood. The following tabulates the cultural 

 method : — • 



1896. — Orchard was in sod; the grass was mowed. 



1897. — • Orchard was plowed and beans grown. 



1898. — Orchard was manured and beans grown again, followed by 

 crimson clover. 



1899. — ■ Orchard was manured and crimson clover plowed under. 

 1900-1904. — Orchard has been manured every year and buckwheat is 



grown, to be rolled down toward ripening time of the fruit. 



During the last three years every tree in the orchard received each 

 year one-quarter of a load of manure, to which was added in 1904 

 for each tree 12 pounds of a good commercial fertilizer, containing 

 8 per cent, potash and 10 per cent, phosphoric acid. 



Spraying has always been faithfully done, crop or no crop; for Mr. 

 Pettit knows that he must have a healthy, vigorous tree before he can 

 obtain a profitable crop. Here is the spraying program of the season 

 of 1904: — 



First Spray. — When blossom buds began to swell. 



Second Spray. — As soon as the blossoms dropped. 



Third Spray. — About two weeks after second spray. 



Fourth Spray. — A partial spray, July 25. This had no apparent effect. 

 The spray used was Bordeaux mixture and Paris green, slightly decreasing 

 the amount of blue vitriol with each successive spraying. 



This orchard may well be called a " rejuvenated " orchard, for hardly 

 any of the old tree-tops exist now. The Kings, Greenings and Russets 

 have grown entirely new tops in the course of the eight years during 

 which Mr. Pettit has handled the trees, and the Baldwins are doing so, 

 although at a slower rate. I remember one particular Spitzenburg tree 

 which tells the story of many hardships. By continued spraying and 

 generous feeding the many old cankers are nearly oversirown by new 

 wood, and a new top has been produced which looks vigorous and 

 healthy and ready to do business for many years to come. 



Now, if we want to renovate orchards for business, how does the 

 account of this orchard balance? Is it worth while to borrow money 

 in order to invest it in orchard renovation? Mr. Pettit kindly placed 

 at my disposal an itemized account for the season of 1904. The price 

 charged for team and machinery is large enough to allow for " wear 

 and tear." To the debit should be added interest on capital invested. 

 Every hour of work done in the orchard by the proprietor or by his 

 men has been charged to it. 



