Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-19
Important Extension Meetings
To Be Held This Week

County Agent Dunn and Myron
Watson, State Agricultural Extension
Service Forestry Specialist will con-
duct a series of meetings the week CT
February Is.
Madison 10 y. NJ. February 10, at
the home on Mr.. Luce: East New
Portland. the Goth, Supper and meet
ing in the evening; North Arson the
2lst ut the Acadmey, $50 L. NJ, So
Ion the 22nd.
Mr.. Watson will deal with timber
estimating and care of the woodlot.
The County Agent with the exception
of East New Portland will give sub
ject matter on the care IF orchards.
Both of these are very important
topics, especially whore the decrease
| in timber is becoming so noticeable.
Orcharding in Maine needs to be put
! on a tirmer and more productive ba-
sis, as many men are nCGlectlnS what
should be Il source of considerable in
come. Proper management seems TO
be the key to many a $arm problem.
Every man in these communities is
invited to attend regardless of Farm
Bureau membership.
Somerset Farm Management Meet
ines
February 27-Fairlield Center. Feb
ruary 2S-Madison Center. February
29-Norridgewo March l arc to
hold all day form management meet
inGs are being made ny the Commune
ity chairman and Farm Management
Project leaders.
NJ. ID. Jones. Farm Management
Specialist will he in attendance at all
meetings. Lantern slides actual pho-
togvaphs of labor saving devices and
charts will be shown at all meetings.
aud lectures and demonstrations held.
Everybody Interested in greater re-
turns for his labor is urged to be
present. Individual problems will be
discussed at the noon hour
These meetings should interest at
least G0CS of the men in the various
communities.
Meetings to start at 10 a. NJ. with
no delays so it will be well to make
your plans carly and be there.
Pruning Campaign to be Carried on
in Somerset County
The purpose of this 20 drive home
to the farmers in the county the inn
portance of this phase of orchard
work and to increase the number OF
trees pruned in 1924 as compared
with past years. subject matter
meeting will be held III every COM
munity dealing with pruning; graft
ing will also be covered at that time
as we'll 1t is especially necessary
that certain steps be taken in or
chard management as there are nov
in the county so manv poor and Ec-
elected orchards which are useless to
their owner and n menace TO the or
f1l, rIu Of n doing
siderable work to improve them.
1t is useless to attempt to grow
first class fruit unless the trees are
pruned properly, regardless of spray
practices and fertilizer which may be
applied. Perhaps the first thing to
consider is just what pruning will
accomplish. and this is, that proper
pruning will increase tie yield. The
actual value in dollars and cents has
not been estimated, but needless to
say the most profitable orchards are
those which are regularly and care
fully pruned. Many men prune
little each year. such practice while
OF some benefit does not tend to
bring about n maximum production.
In most cases the Spring work can
be So arranged that sufficient time
can be allowed to thoroughly perform
this very important phase of orchard
management. There are number Of
reasons for the increase in yields with
the various trees. Where the orchard
has many neglected trees by cutting
out the dead and diseased wood the
healthy shoots have an opportunity to
develop as well as fruit spurs. In
case the trees have been well cared
for, proper pruning allows remaining
spurs to become more : vigorous. Over
grown trees are especially hard to
regulate as 70 much pruning in
creases their tendancy 20 produce still
more wood growth. Young trees
should undergo n careful system of
pruning for the first ) or 6 years. All
these matters will be discussed at the
subject matter meetings in detail, as
we'll as many others.
The work will be illustrated and
explained at this time. 10 be followed
later by actual demonstration work
in the orchard.
Several Skowhecan people passed
Sunday at their cottages at Lake.
wood.