Norwich bulletin., 1912-09-25
Bettering States Apple Orchards
Bud Selection Under Experts to be Tried-Gaftng From Best Heavy Bearers-To Raise Value of Orchards by Hundreds of DolIars-Mak Baldwn's Bear Every Year

Investigation and experiments in Connecticut apple orchards will soon be undertaken by the department of agriculture. with view to the inn provement of apples in quality and quantity. The work will be along the line Of improving the fruit and the fruit trees through bud selection. Sev- erai years will perhaps elapse before the ultimate results of this work will be manifest. much of the work being in the nature of preliminary studies. The work will be in charge of A. D. Shamel, physiologist of the office of field investigations in poTnology, branch of the government department of agriculture's bureau of plant indus try. MT. ShaTnel Is well known in Connecticut. He is now traveling ia the northeastern states for the depart ment and will. look over the coHnecti- cut fruit situation in the near future.
 Like California Method.
 The methods he will pursue, and others will pursue under bis direction or in cooperation with. him. are sim liar to those that have been tried and proven in the orange groves of Cal ifornia and elsewhere. The work is based upon the well known scientific princnple that there is a great differ ence among individual trees and plants of the same variety. For in- stance, MT. Samuel has already made observations on Baldwin apples which indivate individual variation in the bearing quality of the trees and in the quality and size of the sfruit. The scheme is to examine apple trees in various orchards in Connecticut, pick out the heavy bearers and the light bearers and study them, These select ed trees vii be carefully watched. The fruit will be picked, graded, weighed, counted and sod from each tree separately, so that the value of each individual selected tree as a fruit producer will be known. The results of these observations will be carefully tabulated and preserved, constituting what are technically known as performance records of the trees.
 Whole Orchard Up to Standard.
 This process will be continued throughout a season and repeated perhaps for another season or two additional, the results for each sea son being compared with the other. The yield, size, quality and selling price fthe fruit from each tree will be noted In this way it is expected that the very best individual Baldwin or other apple trees in an orchard vii be definitely located. The plan will then be to bring the whole or chard up to the standard of it's best trees. This will be done by propagat- ing from the selected trees. by graft ing buds from them onto inferior trees, by cutting poor producing trees. replanting. or otherwise. The bud selection and grating method is believed best. On the Pacific coast il has been shown that orange, lemon and grape fruit trees of the same kinds vary greatly and that they can be brought to uniform standard as indicated. It is predicted that the Connecticut apple work, will result ir 1 increased receipts from orchards te lthe amount of perhaps hundreds oi | dollars per acre annually by cutting out inferior trees and making every