1 
1012 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 7, 
orchard is near the “Thanksgiving Orchard” and 
shows considerable injury caused in Winter of 1904. 
It is unfortunate that this plot could not have gone 
through the test in first-class condition, but even the 
injury brings out an important point. There is but 
little difference in injury on the tilled and mulched 
plots. The Greenings show practically no difference, 
CHILDHOOD IN THE COUNTRY. Fig. 70. 
but Sutton makes a little better showing on the tilled 
plot than on the mulched. By reason of the continued 
cropping of this land before the orchard was planted, 
I believe it was very far from being in an ideal con¬ 
dition for the mulch system, and was greatly surprised 
that the tilled plot has not, up to this time, made much 
the better growth. I shall be surprised again if, at 
the end of three or four years, the trees in the sod 
plot have not made a much more rapid growth than 
they show up to this time, as the condition of the soil 
is rapidly improving under the mulch. 
I have been much surprised to see the very rapid 
growth of trees that have been planted where the 
ground had been mulched for a few years, and it is 
very noticeable in the Hitchings orchards that trees 
planted on land that had been previously cropped do 
not respond to the mulch during the first four or five 
years as they do after that time. I saw several Spy 
trees, planted in sod in 1902, and other varieties set 
on new ground among the stumps in same season, that 
made over 125 feet of new wood in 1907. 
It seems to me that the very rank growth of grass 
allowed in the Auchter sod orchard must retard the 
growth of the trees very largely, as well as being un¬ 
mistakably injurious to the foliage and general con¬ 
ditions. I fully agree with Ballou, Allis, H. W. C. 
and many others in thinking that the experiment in 
the Auchter orchard is, up to the present time, un¬ 
favorable, or not a fair test for the mulch method. 
I am also of the opinion that certain conditions of the 
sod plot in the Hitchings “Commercial Orchard” are 
thus far unfavorable for best results. The statement 
has sometimes been made that the roots in a mulched 
orchard are nearly all close to the surface, and there¬ 
fore are liable to be injured by freezing and drought. 
I had this impression myself, and was much surprised 
to learn by digging down that most of the roots were 
from one to two feet beneath the surface, and some 
THE WOMAN WITH THE SEED DRILL. Fig. 77. 
were three feet deep, and that eight feet from trees 
set in 1902 some of the roots were as large as a man’s 
finger. The examination of roots was made where the 
trees had been planted in an old pasture, and the soil 
conditions were verv favorable, perhaps 1 may say 
very nearly ideal fer the mulch method. The roots 
are down where drought will not trouble them. 
Mr. Hitchings has three separate plots under ex¬ 
periment for the station. I examined his itemized 
records of work done and the results obtained from 
the plots, and with his permission I give below 
a summary of those records. I give them for the 
reason that as I studied them separately T gained a 
very different impression of actual conditions and re¬ 
sults from the report as published. The “Commercial 
Orchard” or Plot A, contains nearly two acr.es, on 
which are 78 trees of Rhode Island Greening and Sut¬ 
ton Beauty. This plot was planted in Fall of 1902, 
where potatoes were grown that season, and seeded in 
Spring of 1903 with clover and Orchard grass; mowed 
once that season. The test began in 1904. 
Expense of Management. 
Sod. Tillage. 
1904 .$2 00 (mowed twice) $30.53* 
1905 . 2.00 “ “ 21.15 
1900. 1.00 “ once 27.38 
1907. 1.15 “ “ 22 70 
Total.$7.35 $101.7G 
♦Includes clover seed for cover crop. 
In 1904 the first cutting of grass was very heavy, 
and made four tons of hay, which was sold at $10 
per ton (an unusual proceeding for Mr. Hitchings), 
the proceeds of this sale leaving a balance of $32.65 
to the credit of the sod plot, compared with a debit 
of $101.70 against the tilled plot. Balance in favor 
of mulch in this orchard, $134.41. Plot B was planted 
in the Fall of 1895 and consists of 13 trees each of 
Alexander, Wealthy and Fameuse. 
Cost of Management. 
Sod. Tillage. 
1904 .$0.50 $12.36 
1905 . 1.10 13 20 
1906 .40 18.25 
1907 .50 17.05 
Total.$2.50 $60.86 
Difference in expense in favor of sod plot, $58.36 
Yield and Sales. 
Soil. 
Amt. Rood. 
Tilled. 
Amt. Reed. 
1904... 
57% Bu 
$43.16 
53% 
Bu. 
$40.85 
1905... 
5 4 Vi “ 
47.54 
42 
»« 
33 54 
1906... 
69 “ 
52.34 
93% 
it 
66.19 
1907... 
129% “ 
162.62 
51% 
it 
61.67 
Total. .. 
,310% “ 
305.66 
240% 
it 
202.25 
Balance 
in favor 
of mulched 
plot in 
bushels, 70% 
Balance in favor of mulched plot in receipts, $103.41 
The average price per bushel received for the sod 
plot fruit was 98 cents, from the tilled plot 84 cents. 
I suspect Mr. Hitchings attributes this difference to 
color, which was indicated plainly by the recent com¬ 
parative exhibit at Syracuse and Rochester. I wish 
to mention one other point in this connection: Con¬ 
siderable injury has been done on this plot and sur¬ 
rounding trees by blight, but the injury is very much 
worse on the tilled plot than the sod. Two trees 
were killed outright. This condition and difference 
was also reported by Mr. Powell. Plot C was set 
in Fall of 1894, and consists of 13 trees of Spy on 
each part. 
Cost of Management. 
Sod. Tillage. 
1904 .$0.30 $7.25 
1905 .30 4.70 
1906 .20 11.44 
1907 .30 9.85 
Total.$1.10 $33.24 
Difference in favor of mulch, $32.14. 
Yield and Sale. 
Sod. Ain’t R°c'd. Tilled. Am't Rec'd. 
1904 _ 5V> Bu. $5.05 2% Bu. $2.50 
1905 _ 4 V. “ 5.00 2 Va “ 2.50 
1906 _11 . “ 11.75 21 “ 16.25 
1907 _25 “ 33.00 9 “ 12.00 
Total.... 46 “ 54.80 33 “ $33.25 
Difference in bushels in favor of mulch.11 
Difference in amt. reed, in favor of mulch.. $21.55 
Received from sod plot above cost of management 
for the four years.$53.70 
Received from tilled plot above cost of management 
for the four years._..01 
Balance in favor of mulch.$53.69 
The crop of 1907 on Plot B graded up as follows: 
Sod. Tillage. 
Fancv . 46% Bu. 
Fancy. 
. 16 
Bu. 
No. i . 45% “ 
No. 
1. 
. 19% 
U 
No. 2.36% “ 
No. 
o 
. 15% 
It 
Culls. 1% “ 
Culls. . 
. 1 % 
it 
Total _ 129% “ 
51% 
it 
Summary. 
Balance in favor of mulch 
on p’ot 1 
‘A" 
on cost of management 
to date. . 
$134.41 
Balance in favor of mulch 
on plot 1 
TP 
i 
on cost of management 
to date. . 
. , « 
58.36 
$103.41 
Balance in favor of mulch 
on plot 1 
“C” 
on cost of management 
to date. . 
... 
32.14 
21.55 
$224.91 $124.96 
Total balance in favor of mulch plots, $349.87. 
These test plots cover approximately 3)4 acres, and 
no proceeds yet from Plot “A” (nearly two acres, 
planted in Fall of 1902) except $40 for hay. Leaving 
Plot “A” out of our consideration we have remaining 
a little more than 1)4 acres on which are 26 trees set 
in 1894 and 39 trees set in 1895. One-half of this, or 
about nine-tenths of an acre is sod with 32J4 trees, 
has gained a balance in its favor during the four years’ 
test of $215 46. Mr. Hitchings’ fruit has,been win¬ 
ning first prizes year after year at the State Fair in 
competition with fruit grown under cultivation. Are 
these facts worthy of consideration? Every effect has 
its cause. Some men who have ridiculed the idea 
that apples can be successfully grown without tillage 
seem to be unable to distinguish between a neglected 
orchard in sod and a well-cared-for sod-mulched 
orchard. There is a difference. I hope many experi¬ 
ments may be made along this line, and believe that 
CHILDHOOD IN THE CITY. Fig. 78. 
much information may be gained that will be of great 
benefit to the orchard interests of the State. 
Onondaga Co., N. Y. L. l. woouford. 
HOW MUCH SPRAY PER TREE? 
I want to contract for the copper sulphate, etc., required 
for spraying during the coming season. Can you advise a 
beginner how many trees can be sprayed (one application) 
by a certain number of gallons of solution? This will 
enable me to have the proper quantities figured out I 
have about 100 old apple trees, well trimmed. What do 
you use to paint ends of the larger limbs of trees which 
have been trimmed off? I understand a paint of some sort 
will cause the wounds to heal sooner than if left exposed. 
So. Haven, Milch. J. b. m. 
It will take three to four gallons per large apple tree 
to spray thoroughly with Bordeaux Mixture. The 
first spray should be applied as buds begin to show 
green, using 5-5-50 formula, being careful to cover 
all the branches as well as the opening buds. Second 
spraying right after blossoms fall, 3-3-50 formula, fol¬ 
lowed by another spraying with same formula two or 
three weeks later. Arsenical poisons should be applied 
with the Bordeaux Mixture for larvie of Codling moth, 
bud moth and various other leaf-eating larvae. The 
following amounts should be used per 150 gallons: 
One-half pound standard Paris-green or three pounds 
arsenate of lead or arsenate of soda, made by "Kcdzie” 
NO SEEDLESS APPLE HERE. Fig. 79. 
formula; one quart “Kcdzie” formula. Bo'l two pounds 
of white arsenic and eight pounds of sal soda for 15 
minutes, add water to replace amount lost in boiling; 
put this in jug and label “poison.” One pint of this 
mixture equals one-quarter pound Paris-green. One 
or two pounds more of lime should be used in the Bor¬ 
deaux when the poison is used in connection with it. 
A paint of white lead and linseed oil is the best for 
such' purposes. b. d. v. b. 
