Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-17

the State fruit farm at Highmoor, |
carried on under the direction of Prof. |
Wv. Bonns, hortieuturist of the
Maine agricultural experiment sta |
ton. Prof Isonf,s said in part:
In the year 1899 the. Legislature Of |
this state appropriated the sum of |
SIC. 600 for the purchase of farm,
wherein the Maine agricultural ex-
pertinent station could conduct its exz
periments in orcnaf ding and other
agricultural pursuits. Sometime later
in that year Highnaoor farm was Sc
iected for the purpose by duly APP
pointed committee but actual pos
session was not obtained until late In
the summer of 1909. Little could be
done in that year il the way of agri-
cultural operations: fertilizer was APP
piled in small amount in the orchards,
the trees were sprayed once during
the summer with Bordeaux mixture
! and in September they were subjected
to their first regular pruning.
Orchard renovation. in its real
meaning. comprising the caring of the
plantation throughout the entire sea-
| son did not begin until the spring of
l191O. The results of the work since
that time have been gratifying to
those who have been connected there
with and not without significance we
hope. to Maine orchardists in general
l. and to the members of this society in
particular.
.sz.A Sorry Lot of Trees.
In the summer OF 1909 when the
speaker first came TO Highmoor a sor-
rier lot of trees has rarely, if ever,
been his misfortune to see in any
planting that aspHed to the name of
lorchard. The total number of living
ttrees was close to $500. These, plant
ed from % to % years ago, were well
advanced on the road to death from
] INJURY and starvation; some were so
liar gone that they have been merci-
jfully relieved of a useless existence
land turned to good account as fire.
lwood.
These % year old trees in size re-
| sembled normal 10 and 10 year old
iones. so slow had Ieen their wood
lgrowth. The foliage was of the pale
}yellow- green ooler, so characteristic
iof vegetation in an abnormal eondi-
ltion. The tops were Il tangled mass
1of INTERVIEWED branches and twigs
Limbs were overgrown with lichens
. land MOSES. Foliage was peppered
with the leaf spots OF numerous fungus
, parasites. Apple IN sects of nearly
|, tevnry kind common to this region
. There found eongeniat abode and were
, irearing their generation in tens OF
thousands.
All the orchards had fer years beer
) under Il thick sod of the toughest
, witchgrass, which, besides exhaustine
: 1 the soil of the moisture, harboree
. lgreat number of field mice, which
Wrought havoc in the orchard in the
winter months. In addition, severa
orchard fires of mere than ordinary
severity had run through the grass
during the four or five years previou:
No 1909.
: As has already been said the trees
iwere sprayed once in the season OF
1909 with Bordeaux mixture. The in
seeticide was successful in checking
insect depreciation. and in regard t,
. fungus control, but the foliage, Slapped
of its vitality by lack of plant foot
} and already injured by insects ant
GAIllDliSh Il CIadI III
jury that bordeaux very frequently
produces under the conditions just
mentioned.
: About the last of June the trees
,received a moderate application OF
chemical fertilizer especially rich in
nitrogen. 800 pounds were applied to
the acre. Apparently the witchgrass
ireceived all the benefit of this, for
iwhen the speaker arrived in Septem-
iber the trees had to all appearance
profited nothing.
That faH all the trees received their
first pruning. The immense amount
iof tangled growth that formed the
tops of the trees made it necessary TO
textend over a period of three years
1.-THE pruning that might properly be
ldone at that time thus gradually shap-
ing the trees to the desired heads and
at the same time allowing greater OPP
portunities for the formation of fruit
buds by avoiding undue vegetative
istimulants
| No trees in any number We're re-
moved in this first season, it was de-
sirabie to see what response even the
greatest eripples would do in one sea-
son of thorough care
Cultivation the Keynote.
4 The keynote of the campaign of
| and this was be-