384 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the farmer to dispose of perishable fall apples, while there is usually a 

 good market for leading winter varieties. And should he desire cider for 

 family use, November or December cider is worth much more than the 

 early made. 



We many times neglect to graft our worthless varieties into some- 

 thing better, hence, fail to realize any profit from such trees; we find, 

 however, some kinds of natural fruit in most of our orchards that, espec- 

 ially for cooking purposes, the housewife would not like to spare. I 

 usually have such fruit till May. 



I am opposed to low-headed trees and narrow rows, preferring equa- 

 nimity of temper and a clear conscience to either; hence, I would set 

 trees thirty feet apart both ways, and trim high enough for a horse team 

 to plow near them. The first fifteen or twenty years, I believe the orch- 

 ard needs a cultivated and hoed crop, and quite often afterward ; but I 

 find orchards of trees with low heads and close setting are usually seeded 

 down early, more to save annoyance than to benefit the orchard. I have 

 dug up many decayed low-headed trees, and have concluded the usual 

 recommendations in their favor do not counterbalance the inconvenience. 

 Whether we plow an orchard or not, we should manure as often as once 

 in four years. For a sowed crop in a bearing orchard I would recommend 

 peas; plow them in early, and they will be out of the way in season, and 

 do not impoverish the soil. Pasturing hogs in an orchard, if persevered 

 in, I think is detrimental. A portion of the year, however, with jewels 

 in their noses, they would doubtless do good by picking up wind-falls and 

 wormy fruit ; further than this, and with such precautions, I would not go. 

 I am quite sure several of my neighbors have hastened the decay of their 

 orchards by excessive pasturing with swine. 



We have not always been careful enough in obtaining sound trees to 

 start our orchards with, or in keeping the ranks full. The severe droughts 

 and winters of this climate make it difficult for the nursery-man to always 

 have on hand perfectly sound trees ; and hence, we have too often put out 

 unsound ones, which no after-culture can make healthy and lasting. Too 

 much caution can not be used in the selection of healthy trees, remem- 

 bering always that a tree without roots is worthless, even with ever so 

 beautiful a top. I think our nursery-men deserve some censure, and rov- 

 ing tree peddlers much more, for palming off whip-stalks under the cog- 

 nomen of apple trees. 



Farmers do not consult together enough in relation to orchard 

 culture; we should play the Yankee more, by asking more questions; and 

 then, I am quite sure, we would have more fruit, better fruit, and more 

 comely orchards. I once remarked to my neighbor that my Rawles' Janets 

 grew knotty and small. His remedy was, manure plentifully and often, 

 and I have heeded the advice with beneficial results. 



A word about trimming trees: We are apt to let the orchard run on 

 for a series of years with scarcely any trimming, and then some scape-goat 

 is turned loose to do as he pleases ; and the result frequently is, that the 

 trees are so severely slashed that the orchard is nearly ruined. We should 

 be cautious about cutting off too many large branches in one season ; too 



