41 



m. - - i 



A Thrifty Orchard on Hagerstown Clay Loam. 



exception there are two or more varieties in each experiment. In 

 age at the present time, the bearing trees range from 9 to 39 years ; 

 and since the work started they have produced over 1,315,000 pounds 

 of fruit. 



In this one item of fruit, we may call attention to the facts that, 

 so far as American experiments are concerned, this amount is more 

 than treble that reported in any other single experiment, and very 

 distinctly more than the total fruit reported from all other similar 

 experiments combined. This does not mean that the importance 

 of the experiments elsewhere is to be minimized in the least, but 

 it should help to emphasize the fact that, in those cases where con- 

 clusions or attitudes are in conflict, very careful attention should be 

 given to the actual and relative amounts of evidence upon which 

 the differing attitudes are based. In fact, within our own experi- 

 ments we can find the counterparts of practically all those reported 

 elsewhere. If we had fewer experiments — for example, only one 

 on fertilization and another on cultural methods, — our conclusions 

 could be much more easily formulated, and we might readily be- 

 come ardent partisans on either side of the questions, the side de- 

 pending merely upon w^hich of the present locations our experi- 

 ments chanced to have. In other words, if we attempted to base our 

 conclusions upon any one or two of our present experiments, those 

 conclusions would be very difi^erent from any we would now form- 

 ulate, on the basis of all the results. There can be no doubt that 

 when the whole truth is known, we shall be able to account for all 

 of the facts, and this is what we are undertaking to do. 



^ For further details, see our Bulletin 100 and our Annual Report for 

 1910-11. 



