Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-23
Agricultural Help
THE IMPROVED ORCHARDS AT
t1iGHMOOR FARM.
Yield of Apples in Years 1909, 1910,
1911 and 1912 Compared.


The orchards at IIighmoor Farm con-
sisted originally of about 5000 trees when
planted some 25 to 30 years ago. Per-
sistent neglect on the part of the pre-
ceding owners of the farm coupled with
the active and destructive agents of ma
ture in the form of rodents and insects
and plant parasites resulted in the death
of many trees. that at the time the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
came into control they totalled about
800.
The age and size of the trees varied
according as new trees replaced those
destroyed by various agencies. With
the exception of one Ben Davis orchard
the general condition of the trees was
extremely bad. The vast majority had
never known a pruning knife Fully Is
per cent. had been and were being dam
aged by apple tree borers and girdled
by field mice. The damage inflicted by
the latter and by insects such as the
coddling moth. leaf curler, case bearer,
tent caterpillar and curcuio was very
great, and fungus parasites such as leaf
spots and scab reduced the vitality of
the foliage and seriously damaged the
number of trees was badly encrusted
with growths of lichen.
Aside from the injury due to living
organisms nearly all of the trees showed
marked symptoms of lack of plant food.
All of the orchards at the time of pur-
chase were covered with thick sod or
with grass. The foliage was scant and
of poor color, The continued existence
OH ya1
growth and reduced the moisture of the
soil.
In general. the orchards at the time
they came under Station control We're
J in notably bad condition. Some trees
were damaged beyond hope of any re-
pair. Others were in doubtful shape.
hut gave promise of response TO proper
treatment. The rest, so far as surface
indications warranted, offered hope OF
being brought into thrifty condition by
proper methods of orchard renoVatlon'
general survey of all the trees In the
fan of 1909 indicated that 10 per cent.
were in markedly poor condition. Be
cause of these adverse conditions the
31Oo trees of 1909 We're reduced by re-
moval to 2300 trees in 1910.
The conditions of the orchards NJ
ouisition by the Maine Agricultural Ex-
neriment station afforded an excellent
oppertunity for renovation work. The
results of the three years indicate the
possibilities open to the owners of neg
Iected ample orchards in this state.
No records enabling one TO determine
the output of the Highmoor trees from
the time they reached productive age
ijah
Moved at harvest time by preceding
owners of the farm the largest crop is
estimated to have been between 600 and
700 barrels picked from about 1900 trees
of bearing age this included fruit of all
grades and in all conditions in respect
TO injury from insects and fungus para
sites In many seasons despite the
large number of trees the crop was hum
dreds of barrels less than the ABOVE
mentioned yield.
AS the farm came into Station control
in the summer of 1909 little treatment
was possible that season and no effect
thereof was seen in the crop of that
year Only 90 barrels of fruit fit for
good market were obtained from all
the orchards.
A continuation of renovation methods
in 1910 resulted in a yield of 275 barrels
of a good grade of apples.
The crop of 1911 consisted of 245o bar
rels of which 2006 barrels contained no
fruit smaller than "a inches of magniii-
cent color, exceptionally great size, and
free from worm holes or fungus spots
of any kind. This means that the crop
contained 1000 barrels of fancy and
number one grades.
The 1912 crop has just been packed. 1T
consisted entirely of fancy and No.
apples and culls There were pracu-
cally no No. 2 apples in the crop. The
yield was 5000 barrels of which 1850 were
packed as No l apples.
The following table shows concisely
the increase in yield that has resulted
from cultivation, fertilization, pruning
and spraying.
Year number of No. and Total
Trees Barrels Barrels
1000 3lOG 80 200
1910 1900 2l5 $50