The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-11-17

what you can do with an apple tree"
he said, "when you know how. Some
trees seem just to await an intelligent
hand to bear splendid fruit after some
years of neglect"
The speaker discussed fertilization,
cultivation, pruning, trimming, spray
ing, tillage to retain the moisture, the
growing of cover crops for their nj
trogen, the Importance of the APP
Iplication of business methods to far
ming just as much as to commercial
enterprise, study of the orchard as
a merchant studies his store.
The apple tree is a living, growing
thing needing air and water. He ter
med spraying insurance of the crop
Prune the crop a little every winter
| If you must and every summer If you
can, but don't be haphazard. Much
good fruit well grown is not fit for
dessert or consumption because it is
badly packed or shaken from the tree
He said "the cider apple period in
Vermont is passing" The apple or
chard should be to Vermont what
corn is to Iowa and cotton to Georgia
We can and ought to grow splendid
fruit in Vermont.
In Behalf of Consumers.
Walter H. Crockett of this city ad-
dressed the conference in behalf of
the consumer, and made a plea for
honest packing, honest labor and
honest quality, the awakening of the
people of Vermont to their possibili-
ties in the raising of potatoes, the
manufacture of sugar, etc. The Ore
gon apple ought not to be supplying
our tables but we ought to be supply
ing thousands of eastern markets
He urged confidence in the farmer
and urged the farmer to have conf
dence in himself.
Charles T. Holmes of Charlotte, the
most experienced apple man in Ver-
mont and one of the largest produce
ers, was the next speaker and an
swered a rapid fire of questions from
which showed his wide experience in
the field of pomology. He first dis
cussed spraying of trees which he
termed was not an experiment but
a necessary part of apple raising" He
answered queries concerning his big
orchard of 100 acres with its thou
sands of trees, his methods of spray
ing, cultivating, packing and market
ing and the audience displayed keen
interest in this part of the program
under his leadership.
BrOwntaiI and Gypsy Moths.
p. H. O'Connor, surgeon and hor-
ticulturist of North Calais, formerly
connected with Minnesota State col
lege, gave an important talk on the
brown-tail and gypsy moth of which
great attention be made by farmers
to all insect growths and that speci-
mems be sent him or to Commission
er o. l.. Martin of Plainfield OF to the
University of Vermont for analysis.
He stated that the elms which were
the pride of Cambridge were being
cut down because they had been ruin
ed by the insects, that the Boston
Common trees were losing their beau
ty and that Vermont protect herself
with the greatest care to keep the San
Jose scale and other pests from her
borders.
Mr.. Perry followed with an exhibit
ton of the proper packing of a box
of fancy fruit and the discussion was
closed.
Perhaps more than any other man,
Willard G. Cotton deserves universal
credit for the vim and dash with
which the Apple Day meeting of the
Board of Trade was carried through
and he found faithful second in
Secretary Gleason.