H. S. WILEY & SON, CAYUGA, N. Y. 
The following is a brief history of an orchard sold to Mr. Mann of Niagara County, 
N. Y., in the spring of 1898: 
WILLIS T. MANN 
EVERGREEN FRUIT FARMS 
Niagara County, N. Y. 
„ , Barker, N. Y., Jan. 8, 1908. 
Mr. H. S. Wiley, Cayuga, N. Y.: 
^ ^ -y.-^ ^ Dear Mr. Wiley: — I am sure you will be interested in a report 
Jgg ' ' of the young orchard wliich 1 planted with your stock in 1898. I 
wSmk think you will remember that I bought 800 trees of 2-year medium, 
«r, "^^p.~ s^jjj^^ 4 to S-foot stock, and a year or two later 25 more, which I used to 
1^ complete the orchard. I selected stock of this kind because I 
_ _ ,,^m^ wanted a low, stocky tree, and I believed I could get fruit sooner 
f f;^ ^IS^i^^H^ °" ^ '■'^^^ °^ '-'''^ than I could on a larger tree that had perhaps 
' been forced in the nursery. This orchard occupies nine acres, the 
trees having been planted on the filler system, 20 by 22 feet apart. 
The permanent trees being 40 by 44 feet apart. The orchard has 
always been tilled, the first three or four years with hoed crops, 
^^^^^^ and since that without cropping. It has been sprayed in the usual 
^^n^^^S^ ^ manner of spraying apples, and it has had no chemical fertilizers 
and but little barn manures. We have done but very little pruning; 
cross branches have been removed and some of the center branches 
where very thick, but nearly all horizontal branches have been allowed to remain. This 
has produced a very broad, low tree. Many of them are now twenty feet or more in 
diameter. 
It has produced so generously that it has attracted many visitors from various 
parts of the State, and I would have been very glad to have had you seen it during the 
past fall while in fruiting. Many individual trees produced two barrels or more of fruit. 
The following table will show the amount of product, and the value for each year: 
1903— 250 bushels $ 135.00 
1904— 100 bushels 25 00 
1905— 600 bushels 525.00 
1906— 850 bushels 375 00 
1907— 2,121 bushels 2,135.00 
Total 3,921 bushels $3,195.00 
One of the noticeable features of this orchard has been the size and color of the 
fruit as compared with the same varieties on old trees. While looking at some Ben Davis 
trees the past fall, one of the most prominent members of the International Api)le Ship- 
pers Association said: "This is the first time that I ever saw Ben Davis growing in the 
State of New York equal in size and color to western Ben Davis." 
I have been asked many times what this orchard is worth at the present time, but 
I am unable to answer. When the trees were set the land was worth not more than 
$75.00 per acre, but the sales for this past year alone were $237.00 per acre, and the trees 
are now in ideal condition for future production. Under these conditions it would be 
difficult to place a proper valuation on the orchard, but it would certainly be a good 
mvestment at many times its original value. 
Very truly yours, 
W. T. MANN. 
«r Yfieties: Ben Davis, R. I. Greening, Ribston Pippin, Hubbardston, York Imperial, 
Wealthy and Wagener. Some 70 trees of the Ben Davis have since been top worked 
with 20-ounce. Mr. Mann is one of the most practical orchardists in this State; his 
plantings cover about 100 acres. H. S. W. 
Beautiful well rooted 4 ft. 2 year old Bartlett 
and Clapp's Favorite, $20.00 per Hundred 
