Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-02
NOW IS THE Time
TO FORM APPLE
CLUBS IN maine
u. S. Dept. of Agri. Working
with State Colleges to Show
Boys and Girls Profit and
Pleasure That May Be Gained
from Raising Apples

Washington, Oct. 1.-Now is the time
to form apple clubs. and the United
States Department of Agriculture in
cooperation with the agricultural col
leges of northern and western states
is endeavering to interest the boys
and girls of apple growing sections
in the possibilities of apple culture as a
profitable and pleasurable occupation.
The organizations for the young peo-
pie on the farm are being planned and
begun in the New England States,
New York, New Jersey, Delaware.
Pennsylvania. Michigan. Ohio, Idaho,
Montana, Oregon and Washington,
Any young people in these states wish
ing to find out the details of the new
apple raising clubs, should write at
once to the State agent in charge of
club work at the State College of
Agriculture, or the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, Washington,
d. c.
The now clubs will be organized on
the same lines as are those for the
encouragement of potato, corn, and
alfalfa growing, gardening and can
ming, and poultry raising, Members
NC hot ~ hut ONST 10
years old. Each of the club members
will be allotted not less than 10 apple
trees, six or more years old, in the
same orchard (and all in one row or
block if possible) of which he will have
the exclusive care for one year. Each
club must have at least five members,
and these will be under the instruction
of local leader who will receive in
structions from the State leader in
charge of the county agent. Follow
/ ing these instructions the young mem
Der who knows nothing about apple
raising will learn to pick, grade, crate,
and market apples; also Ia can and
label fruit for exhibition and for sale.
| The instructions will aim to show
each of these young people how he
may get the maximum results from
his 10 trees with the minimum eX-
pendituFe af labor.
AS in the other clubs for boys and
girls cooperating with the department,
practical prizes will be awarded by
local fairs and interested people to
those who excel the best prize how
ever will be experience and a net
profit on investment to each member.
Club agents are already at work
making enreliments for the new apple
| clubs. During October and November
the piats will be selected and assigned
to the individual members and the
trees will be marked to show to whom
they are assigned AS soon as the
| present apple crop is gathered pre-
parations will begin at once for the
next year. Some trees may need fall
pruning, cleaning out and mulching.
These details will be attended to and
the young people may be instructed
in the best methods.
During the winter, interest win be
kept up through the local club ergani-
cations and meetings The leaders
will visit the plats of each of the
members TO give specific instruction.
early in the spring records will be In
order and each club member will be
shown how ne may keep simple ac-
count of the progress of his row of
trees. During the next summer yaea-
ton the work will be at its height and
the boys and girls who are perseyering
will not only learn much valuable inr
formation but may make substan-
tial profit on the time and labor they
have invested,
Fall will be the occasion of apple
club fairs and festivals, At these
events there will be exhibits of all
kinds of apples and apple machinery,
devices used for handling both fresh
and cooked apples of food products
prepared from apples, of canning
equipment, crates and barrels, Bem=
onstrations will be given at these fes-
tivals OF how 10 pare and core apples,
how to can useless windfall apples,
how to make apple 5ellies, butter and
pickles; how to grade, crate and pack
apples. etc.
In awarding the prizes fer the year
many features will be eeHsidered how
the trees are efuned, whether they are
free from blight and plant lice, how
the soil has been worked, the size,
coler and condition of the fruit and
methods of packing will all count in
the final reckoning. One of the most
important considerations is how much
profit the club member has melted from