Connecticut western news., 1910-03-10
APPLE GROWING
 IN NEW ENGLAND
BULLETIN ON SUBJECT ISSUED
By Professor c. D. Jarvis of Storrs, in Which He Gives the Story of the Apple Industry and Instructions for Renovating Orchards.

Apple ln0uStrY ana instructions TOT
 RenoVating Orchards.
 Professor O. D. Jarvis of the aRri- cultural experiment station at Storrs is the author of & bulletin ou Apple Growing in New England" the pub location being one of the most valuable issued from the station. The writer says that the planting of commercial orchards dates back to 1850 and the first setback to the industry folio we'd through the large yields of fruit, for which there was insufficient demand. Following this came a decline in land values, due to opening up large tracts of farm land in the West. and the apple growers became discouraged, many of them leaving the state. Of those who remained many cut down their orchards while others allowed them to remain with the hope that they might produce enough to supply the family with fruit and cider, and thus the orchard became an adjunct or side issue to the farm.
 With the development of the fruit interests the destructive action of in sects and fungous diseases became more pronounced; apple scab became pest, the codling moth became abundant, the canker worm was busy and, finally, the San Jose scale came. Many of the old orchards are still in existence, though Tn some brush has been allowed to grow up and others have been depleted in fertility.
 The greatest hindrance to the apple industry here, so Professor Jarvls thinks, IS the presence of so mang uncared-for apple trees. The advent of the San Jose scale, which to many growers has seemed 10 be the last straw, is, he thinks, likely 70 prove blessing as it will soon des- troy the worthless trees.
 Professor Jarvis naturally urges spray ng, writing as follows:-
 Although the benefits of spraying nave been repeatedly demonstrated and although so much has been written on 5he subject, there are comparatively l few sprayed orchards in New England. Even the orchards that are said to be sprayed are not thoroughly treated. The applications usually are not made 1t the proper time and are not repeated often enough, and moreover, the spray ing machinery in common use is en. 5irely inadequate for thorough work h hannraa ahrn d- mt that seldom more than 10 per cent. 0f the apples on an unsprayed tree es- capes it's ravages. The apple maggot is becoming serious pest. The curoulio is very destructive in many localities The injury from the aphis or louse is more serious every year. The canker worm, from time to time, completely defoliates the trees. The San Jose scale is spreading rapidly and is now well established in most parts of New Eng land. The apple scab, the rust, and sooty blotch disease are usually present to greater or less extent. Many other insects and fungus pests of minor im- portance are usually in evidence every year.
 Professor Jarvis urges honest pack ing and careful grading of the fruit and says that New England should cut down all her old apple trees. renovate the best of her orchards, start new ones on higher elevations, plant varieties of high quality and adopt business-like methods. He says there is general awakening of interest in the orchards; that the soil and climate is favorable; that the section lies near the markets; that the demand for export is increasing and that the production is dimishing.
 Letters from various pomologists are given, showing the cost of clearing land for new orchards, the figures being put at from $15 to $250 an acre, according to the nature of the land.
 In the matter of renovating old or chards Professor Jarvis says that it will seldom pay to undertake the renovaton of trees that are over 30 or 40 years old. Trees that have been stripped by canker worms lack vigor and respond to treat ment very slowly and if apple canker is abundant it would be best to cut down trees. The tall trees in any event should be headed in. The apple thrives well on variety of soils. varying from sandy loam to heavy clay.
 The larger growing varieties should be forty feet apart while from twenty to thirty feet will do for the smaller ones. The upper branches of high trees should be out back; tree thirty feet oI more in height should be cut back from ten to fifteen feet and one from twenty five to thirty should be cut back to fifteen or twenty feet. Cuts should be smoothly