144 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Gilkeflon : How do yon cultivate such low trees? 



Mr. Murray: When the trees are small, I cultivate close to them. 

 Later I plow up the center and cultivate with a two-horse cultivator^ 

 harrow and hoe. Very little will grow under low-head trees. Every 

 argument is in favor of the low, heavy head. When the top is heavy 

 laden, you don't have to go under the tree. 



Mr. Holsinger: Don't you find the ground softer under the trees ? 



Mr. Murray: Yes, that is a fact. Last year when it was so dry^ 

 buyers from New York were afraid that the apples would not mature. 

 They scratched under the trees and found moisture within three inches 

 of the surface, and were satisfied that the fruit would come to perfec- 

 tion. 



Mr. Goodrich, of Illinois: My specialty is the stone-fruits and 

 berries. I am inclined to the view that western men do not dread low 

 trees. There is certainly great advantage in shading the ground, and 

 shading the body of the trees. One striking point in favor of low 

 heads is protection from the sun. Low trees can be picked for one- 

 fourth of the cost of picking tall trees. I have some cherry-trees so 

 high that it does not pay to pick them at all. In Illinois there are 

 1,000,000 trees of one or two varieties in one locality. Where will we 

 get pickers when all these trees have a full crop *? If we grew trees 

 for looks we might grow them as forest trees, but we are working for 

 profit, and I think the trend is toward low trees. ' ' 



B. F. Smith, of Kansas : I have been a close observer in Kansas. 

 Some varieties need more pruning than others. Some have branches 

 that drop more than others ; such trees should be started higher than 

 those with upright branches. Some of the older orchards are now 

 doing no good. I think, after six or seven years of heavy bearing, a 

 tree is ready to be cut down. 



Dr. Green — I will give you a little experience of mine this year. 

 Part of my orchard has been in blue-grass for 20 years. This part was 

 used as a calf-pasture for this year. The apples on this part were just 

 as good as those on the cultiuated part. I believe we need fertilization 

 more than cultivation. 



Mr. Smith — What this Society approves has much effect through 

 the country. Mr. Holsinger has a wonderful theory about roots and 

 tops. I think the roots and top of a tree should correspond. I should 

 not expect a tree to grow with large top and small roots, and vice versa. 

 I don't believe in ^the blue-grass theory; it binds and makes the tree 

 suffer for moisture. 



Mr. Holsinger — A little fresh experience along this line : I will 

 explain how I happened along this line. It is entire nonsense to cut 



