The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1921-09-15
Waldo County Farm Bureau
Conducts a Successful Orchard Tour.

OOnductS SucceSSful Ofcharo lOuf.
On September 10, the Waldo County
Farm Bureau conducted an orchard tour
of the several promipent orchards in the
town of Winterport. The first farm visit
ed was that of Charles C. Clements. It
was at this orchard that most of the
speaking took place. Professor H. P.
Sweetser from the University OF Maine
talked on the subject of low-headed trees
and the advantage of the same. Mr.,
George A. Yeaton, Augusta, confined his
remarks to pruning and repairing broken
down trees. A. X. Gardner, crop special
lst for the University of Maine. gave a
practical talk on cultivation and pointed
out some of the interesting things in con-
nection with cultivation and fertilization
in Mr.. Clements orchard.
The busting outfit was then pressed
into service. 1t was drawn by the Ford
son tractor owned by the several Glenn
ents'. After a short demonstration in
busting, Mr.. Frank Dudley, Augusta,
gave very interesting talk on that same
topic. He pointed out the advantage of
busting over spraying. The party then
adjourned to the lawn of Mr.. Clements
where they partook of their luncheon.
Coffee, sugar, and cream were furnished
by the Farm Bureau.
Directly after lunch a practical talk
was given by Elmer H. Clements on the
use of the Fordson tractor. He stated
that their tractor had been used ON three
farms for period of more than three
years and apparently had shown very few
effects from it's use.
The party then made visits to the farms
of A. l.. Blaisdell, l.. j. West, and George
II. York. Each of the above conducted
the visitors through their respective or
chards. Mr.. Blalsdell told the visitors in
his pleasing and quite forceful manner
how some odd twenty years ago he set
tied on that same farm and started his
orchard. He estimated that his apple
crop this year will be worth S25,OOO He
stated that he cut hay on $50 acres of
abandoned farms this year and that. if
he had bought the hay at market price,
the fruit from 16 of his Mcintosh apple
trees would have paid for the entire
amount of hay. These 16 trees were
grown on land containing no more than
one fifth of an acre.
This point, alone, demonstrates that a
tremendous amount of labor has been lost
ON some of our abandoned Maine farms.
The object of the orchard tour was not
10 show any one particular method OF
growing an orchard; not to show if a
high head was more desirable than low
headed tree; not to show that cultivation
or fertilization was better than mulching.
1t was, however. conducted to show that
an orchard properly handled should make
profitable returns to its owner. This was
we'll demonstrated in each of the foul
orchards visited, although neither one OF
the above mentioned handled their or.
chard in exactly the same manner. Il
was day we'll spent ami many compli.
mentary remarks have been made to the
County Agent in regard to the work ot
the Farm Bureau and Extension Service
in conducting tours of this nature.
More than 200 men attended the meet
ing. Most of them were intensely inter
ested in orcharding. Had it not been fol
the heavy shower in the forenoon, nc
doubt, many more would have beer
present.