The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-12-30

economic zoologist, as ne is called,
has originated what he terms the
demonstration orchard. He acts up
on the theory that man can ac-
complish more by going into the
peoples orchards and showing them
how to prune and spray trees than
he can by ten le seizures, and he some
tins ago asked for offers of orch
ards in which to make the demon
stration.
so hearty has been the response
that as many as a thousand have
been placed at his disposal, or moro
than three times as many as he can
use. He holds his meetings right
among the trees, and sets an exam
pie instead of making verbal ex-
PLANTATION of the right methos. This is
the kind of lesson that most Impress
es the average agriculturist. This
has been done at least one season
with appreciable Improvement in the
apple yield of the&State, but he pro-
poses to go into these demonstrations
more extensively. Our own State col
lege has this year taken up some old
orchards for like demonstration pun
poses, but they are near it's own loca-
ton. If there could be larger radi-
alton of the service it would give an
impulse to this industry whose good
effects would be apparent in a very
few years.
In a letter written to the Trans
cript, by George French, of Hyde
Park, Mass, an interesting incident
relative to modern apple culture is
related. Mr.. French says:
"Apropos of apples, and the effect
of the apple show and the Chamber of
Commerce apple dinner at Ford hail
last September, tree doctor told me
of an experience of his own. He was
consulted by the owner of about 400
apple trees that had been allowed 70
deteriorate until the value of the or
chard was problematical. The trees
were not too old but have been left
to shift for themselves, in our trust
ing New England manner, and had
not made a brilliant success of their
life. The tree man looked the orch
ard over and gave the owner an esti-
mate of the necessary expense for
starting it in the right way again.
The owner demurred at the price and
it was finally agreed that the tree man
should doctor the decadent orchard
at his own expense and that he should
have all of the first crop after treat
ment and one-half of each of the next
two crops. This year the crop be-
longed to the doctor, and he market
ed 1000 barrels of as fine apples as
dealers, and has besides a large
quantity of seconds, and supplied the
owner of the orchard and everybody
connected with the tree doctors es-
tablishment with all the apples they
wanted. For these apples the tree
man received a sum equal to more
than three times the fee he popos-
ed to charge the owner for putting
the orchard in condition, and he has
in prospect the half share of the crops
of 1910 and 1911"
1t is an interesting fact that the
tendency of the English buyer is TO
favor Canadian apples because Can
ada exercises supervision over grad !
ing, picking, and branding the fruit. |
and the United States does not. After
a dealer buys quantity of American
fruit, only to find, as he has in many
instances, fine fruit at either enc !
and cider apples in the middle, he is !
likely to condemn the whole Ameri-
can product. E'' vi'ee'
Evidently we should not stop with
producing a better quality and a
greater quantity of fruit, but should /
take steps to guarantee that the ap-
pies marketed are just what they are
represented to be.