PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 35 



SPRAYING AND SPRAYING COMPOUNDS. 



BY J. N. STEAENS OF KALAMAZOO. 



This is a broad subject to be covered in one short paper. So, if I but 

 outline ideas of the work, I trust that the enlargement of those ideas 

 may be thoroughly brought out in the discussion to follow. If I were 

 to select soil and location for an apple orchard, just to suit me, it would be 

 good strong soil sloping to the north. If quite rolling, it would need no 

 tiling nor subsoiling; but there is little level land with heavy subsoil but 

 is greatly benefited by both. This is practiced by the best orchardists and 

 nurserymen in New York state, and is being adopted by many in our own 

 state. 



I find land that has been planted to corn or beans the previous year is 

 in the best condition for the planting of trees. It should be plowed fully 

 as deep as it is necessary to dig in planting the trees. 



One of the important points in subsoiling is to carry the trees safely 

 through the first season's planting, as ground so prepared will better stand 

 continued dry as well as continued wet weather. 



The best of trees for the masses to plant are thrifty two-year trees, and 

 care should be taken in planting that the trees are not put into the ground 

 too deep. A very good rule is not over one inch deeper than they were in 

 the nursery, which line is easily seen by difference in color of the bark. 



Never put manure next the roots of trees. I have known thousands of 

 trees and plants ruined by so doing. I have in mind a striking illustration 

 of this. I had sold peach trees to a certain man in South Haven, several 

 years, and he lost nearly all of them; and what did grow were so feeble 

 they were worthless. He said he did not know what the trouble was, as he 

 had taken extra pains in planting and caring for them, and he knew the 

 trees were fresh and good when he received them. I decided to go to his 

 place to see if I could discover what the trouble was. He had but ten 

 acres, so had plenty of time, and had fixed up a mixture of about half 

 manure and half soil, to fill in around the roots, which, as soon as the hot 

 weather came, were burned by the manure. 



If the soil is not rich enough, put the manure around after the roots are 

 thoroughly covered with the soil. When the soil is about two thirds filled 

 in, if half a pail of water is poured in and allowed to soak away before fill- 

 ing in the rest of the soil, it will save many a tree if dry weather follows 

 planting. 



After the tree is planted it is very important that the top be headed back 

 fully more than the possible loss of roots in digging. If this is not done,, 

 the tree pushes out more leaves than the roots are prepared to take care of, 

 and the result is the tree's growth is stunted and does not recover in many 

 years. I consider that starting right is the work half done, and in the end 

 you have trees to be proud of. 



I believe in thorough cultivation of the orchard so long as one expects 

 profitable returns. If the ground is good and fertile (if not, it should be 

 kept so by the application of suitable manure), some hoed crop may be 



