CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 21 



In this it will be seen that the loss from lack of cultivation 

 amounted to $72 per acre. Can we afford to cultivate? Bather, 

 can we afford to omit cultivation? 



//. Renovation of Orchards. 



There are thousands of acres of old orchards in New England 

 in various degrees of decrepitude, by reason of neglect associated 

 with starvation and natural decay. Some of these may be profitably 

 rejuvenated; some of them are beyond hope. A tree is a wonder- 

 fully plastic and responsive organism. Orchards apparently hope- 

 less may be renovated by the application of rational methods. 

 Whether an orchard may be renovated profitably will depend upon 

 (a) the variety, (6) the soil, (c) the age and condition of health. 

 Given commercial varieties on reasonably well-drained soil, with 

 heads which do not quite reach the heavens, and the problem of 

 renovation takes the form of a safe business enterprise. 



Cost and Eetukns of a Eenovated Ohchakd. — It will pay 

 to renovate an apple orchard under the conditions outlined above, 

 and will pay largely in proportion as energy and intelligence are 

 applied. Nothing convinces so well as actual experience. Let me 

 quote a page from the book of experience of an apple grower in 

 Orleans County, New York, as set forth in our survey of Wayne 

 County^: — 



Stort of a Renovated Orchard. 



In 1896 Mr. George Pettit bought a " run-down " farm at Kenyon- 

 ville, Orleans County, New York. The farm was neglected, therefore 

 the price paid was not high; 54 acres were bought for $2,200. On the 

 farm was an apple orchard of 11 acres, 2 acres of which had been 

 drowned out, literally killed by standing water, when an outlet could 

 be found not more than 50 yards away into the steep gorge of Oak 

 Orchard Creek; this left 9 acres of orchard with which to work. The 

 trees had been planted in the spring of 1864; i.e., they were thirty-two 

 years old, and should have been just entering into their prime of pro- 

 duction. The soil on which this orchard stands is Miami silt loam. 

 On the remaining 9 acres the drainage was not perfect. Because of 

 lack of care, the trees were older than their actual size would indicate. 

 Pruning and feeding had been sadly neglected, and canker was rapidly 

 unfitting many limbs for the bearing of a crop. Mr. Pettit tells me 

 that it was in about as bad a state as regards care as it could pos- 

 sibly be. 



The problem of renovation was undertaken with vigor. The water 

 was drained off, the land was plowed, and thus the soil brought into 



' Bulletin No. 226, Cornell University Experiment Station, " An Apple Survey of Wayne 

 County." 



