20 
AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
of culture and nothing more, a simple stirring of the soil. One great thing in 
this is the bringing of new particles of earth together. It seem to me there- 
fore that this matter of the stirring of the soil is one that should not be lost 
sight of. When it should be done and what tools you should use are ques- 
tions of detail which pertain to localities and individuals; but bear in mind 
to stir the soil, from start to finish, during the growing season of all your 
plants. 
Another point in culture, for the commercial fruit grower and for the con- 
sumer also, is that of cultivating a better acquaintance with the market and 
with the demands of the market. If you want to secure the best results don’t 
be content to give people merely what you think they ought to have but go 
into the market and find what the people want, why and how they want it, 
and try to give it to them in that way. Above all things cultivate a more 
thorough and intimate acquaintance with the men— and with the women, too 
—engaged in fruit culture. I speak particularly of men and women of ideas. 
Go to them with, ideas and give them ideas. You cannot give them too much. 
I am glad to know that this Pomological Society and its members are free 
givers of ideas. What little success I have had in horticultural work has 
come from association with just such men and women as are here present 
today. I say you should cultivate the acquaintance of intelligent men and 
women engaged in this work. Give them all you can of good ideas; and the 
more you give out the more you will be able to take in and the richer you will 
be in that which goes to make life worth living. 
Mr. John J. Rosa, Delaware, inquired as to the length of time, in a year, 
for which the cultivation should be continued. 
Mr. Hale: I should say not longer than the development of the fruit crop. 
I would not cultivate an orchard after the crop itself had been developed. 
But I do think that we have all made the mistake of discontinuing our cul- 
tivation altogether too early. We have been fearful (and I speak especially 
of the northern section of the country, of the section north of the Ohio river) 
that we would stimulate too late a fall growth and so have too tender wood. 
I believe we should keep up our cultivation much later than we have been do- 
ing. The general practice has been to continue until July or six weeks befor'e 
the maturity of the fruit. I find from my own experience and observation 
that those who keep up the cultivation clear to the full maturity of the fruit 
get the finest fruit and that this also leaves their buds in the best condition 
for wintering the next year. 
Mr. C. R. Hartshorne, Maryland, inquired, in regard to the peach orchard 
in Georgia, whether any trees had been left where the tops had not been cut 
back at all, where the cultivation was maintained. 
Mr. Hale: There were none, so far as I know. A moderate number of 
trees in adjoining orchards were cut back, and the ground was not thoroughly 
cultivated, but they were very little better than those that were not cut back 
at all. 
Prof. H. E. VanDeman spoke of the interest which corn growers in Ohio 
felt as to the point of time at’which the limit of profitable culture was likely 
to be reached. Pie said that, for one, he did not want to go beyond that; limit. 
He asked, Where is that limit as to fruit? 
Mr. Hale: I have not been able to find it yet, brother; but, hoping for the 
best results, I would not dare to hint that there was not a limit. I presume 
there is, I know there is; but where you find one man in a million, who may 
come up to the point of over doing or “slopping over,” in this respect, you 
