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Fertilizers. 



Stable manure is all right to secure rapid wood growth, but it 

 continued use in large quantities produces wood that is soft and ten- 

 der — easily injured by the cold winters. However, in our exclusive 

 fruit section, we do not have enough stable manure on our farms 

 to make it possible for us to do much of this kind of ''damage." 

 Fertilizers that are rich in potash and phosphoric acid are most val- 

 uable, such as unleached hardwood ashes and ground bone. We find 

 great profit from the use of commercial fertifizers, the foundation of 

 which is usually muriate of potash and ground bone from the pack- 

 ing houses. 



Cover Crops. 



About the middle or last of August we sow some cover crop in 

 the orchards. Oats and barley have been very good, but the sand vetch 

 is now most popular, as it makes a mammoth growth and also adds 

 considerable nitrogen to the soil, it belonging to the class of legumes. 

 When it first begins to grow, this cover crop acts as a "robber" crop 

 — taking up the soil moisture and available fertility at a time when 

 we want the trees to stop growing and to ripen their new wood. 

 Later this cover crop acts as a blanket, to hold the leaves and snow, 

 preventing bare spots on exposed knolls and the consequent deep 

 freezing and root injury. In the spring this cover crop furnishes 

 considerable humus to be turned under and thus improve the me- 

 chanical condition of the soil. Clovers would be even better for this 

 purpose, as they furnish considerable plant food, but they have to be 

 left too late in the spring if they get much growth, and they are then 

 robbing the trees of food and moisture at the time when the trees 

 should be making their best growth. We also find it difficult to get 

 a catch of clover under large bearing trees. 



Finally, adopt the most intensive methods, to produce the largest 

 and handsomest specimens, pick and pack them carefully and as near 

 ripe as your market will permit ; pack honestly, so that you can guar- 

 antee every package ; market through some co-operative system 

 that will eliminate as many middle men as possible and, above all 

 things, be "in love with your job" and "Johnny on the spot," and you 

 will be safe in looking for a neat balance on the right side of the 

 ledger at the end of each season. 



Member. Kindly give symptoms of the Peach Yellows. 



Mr. Bassett. Yellows is a disease that generally makes its ap-. 

 pearance by a fine yellow growth ; the fruit itself becomes mottled 

 on the outside, and when it is broken open, shows red streaks run- 

 ning to the pit. 



Member. How do you work the Vetch in ? 



Mr. Bassett. Cut it up with a disk and plow it under. 



Member. It is pretty hard, is it not, to plow in an orchard of 

 three years' growth? 



Mr. Bassett. Yes ; but on sandy soil, with a good disc harrow, 

 you can chop it up pretty fine and turn under. There are two or 

 three kinds of extension tools that might be used for this purpose, — 

 or, you might get a grape hoe. 



