Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-20
Pathological Society .
Has Profitable Meeting

Lewiston, Nov. 19-Support of the
College of Agriculture of the Uni
versity of Maine was assured in a
resolution passed by the Maine
Pathological society at it's annual
meeting. In this resolution the So
ciety placed itself on record as being
intellectually in favor of the report
of the committee on the needs of the
College of Agriculture and the Maine
Experiment Station. appointed by the
State Federation of Agricultural AS
sociationS.
The organization further endorsed
the report of the committee on taxa
ton which was first read at Farmers
weeks at Orono last March. Other
important resolutions passed includ-
cd the folloWing-to ask an ,appro-
priation from the State Lcgisla ture
for an exhibit at the Eastern Fruit
Show; directed officers to take up the
matter of legislation raising the
minimum size of No. 1 apples under
the present law to 2l2 inchesi en-
dorsed experimental work at High
moor farm; decided emphatical1y
against the child labor amendment
and urged the legislature to vote no;
endorsed local spray rings and CO.
operative use of graders; endorsed
holding of local and county fruit
shows; appointment of committee to
draft legislation for protection
against tramp trees.
All the present officers of the or
eanization were reelected as fol-
lows: Neal ID. Stanley of Pittsfield,
president; w. G. Conant of Hebron,
fist vice president: +. II. Morse of
East Waterford, second vice presi-
dent; T. +. Chase of Buckfield, treas
urer, r. l.. White of Bowdoinham,
secretary; G.. A. Yeaton of Augusta,
for three years; Wilson II. Conant
of Buckfield. representative to the
New England Fruit Show, G. A.
Hcaton, representative to the Amer
lean Pathological Society: w.
Sinclair of Monmouth. Wilson II.
Conant and President Stanley, repre-
sentatives to the State Federation of
Agricultural Associations.
The large auditorium is practically
filled with some of the best exhibits
shown in years.
Fertilizer Experiments
The following extracts are taken
from the report of orchard investi-
cations read by w. II. Conant at the
genealogical meeting.
The fertilizer experiments on the
Ben Davis trees have given very
striking results. These trees are he
tween 80 and IS years old and are in
reasonably good condition so far as
disease and injury are concerned.
They have been in sod for the past
five years and have not been very
vigorous. Last year nitrate of soda
was applied at the rate of 8. 6, and
IL pounds per tree on various plots.
Nitrate was also applied this year at
the rate of pounds and II pounds
per tree. The application of nitrate
of soda the first year could only af-
feet the fruit already set. but even
under these conditions the increased
yield per tree was about one barrel.
Thus about 20 cents worth of nitrate
increased the yield about one barrel
of fruit per, tree. Last year the nitrate
was applied in the barrel of fruit per
tree. This year the nitrate was APP
piled in the same manner and OF
course the trees had the benefit from
last years application. AS result
of two years treatment the trees
which received six pounds of nitrate
yielded % barrels of fruit per tree
as compared with Z of a barrel on
the unfertiliZed trees. Moreover the
fruit on the check plots or unfertiI-
lied trees was too small in most
cases for commercial pack. so that 1t
is safe to say that the application OF
20 cents worth of nitrate each year
for the past two years has increased
the average yield per tree almost two
barrels of commercial fruit.
All of the experimental work with