276 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



decently cultivated, would render a good account of themselves, and stop the mouths 

 of these old croakers with better apples and more of them than they deserve. Would 

 like to hear the views of members in reference to'planting apple and peach trees alter- 

 nately in the same orchard. Was not in favor of that plan himself. Thought it better 

 to plant each kind separately. 



Reeder — Was in favor of planting them separately — peach trees mature and fre- 

 quently decay by the time the apple comes well into beariug. The orchard then has a 

 ragged appearance. Trees of a uniform size are more sightly. Thought they would 

 grow better in separate orchards. Where laud can be bought at reasonable sums, there 

 was no good reason for planting together. Apple trees should grow erect, and on the 

 prairie should be planted about 26 feet apart. Low headed trees will bear sooner than 

 high spreading ones. 



Hooton — Thought peach among apple trees checked the growth and retarded the 



bearing. He likes a full, round, high head. Some varieties can be planted nearer than 



others. The Belle Flower and Willow Twig need more room than other varieties. The 



tops of trees were not intended to be near the ground ; low heads prevent cultivation, 



weeds and grass accumulate, affording shelter and protection to vermin and insects, 



causing an unhealthy condition of the air, similar to an unventilated room. He 



described an orchard top grafted by his father ; in four years many of the grafts were 



broken off by the wind. He is in the habit of inserting the scion under the bark and 



the following season cut off the top. Had saved some trees that had been girdled by 



rabbits by taking limbs from the top and inserting them under the bark above and 



below the injury. 



****** 



Dr. Hooton — Alluded to some apple trees that had been planted very deep, whicq 

 were found to be small and of feeble growth. Thought trees should be planted no 

 deeper than they were found in the nursery. 



Goodale — Inquired whether it would not be profitable to plant trees quite close t 

 with the intention of removing a portion of them when the orchard became old. 



May — Thought not ; alluded to an orchard in town, where the trees had grown up 

 in the hoop-pole fashion, and although ten years old, had never produced a bushel of 

 fruit ; thought orehards were frequently injured by cutting off two large limbs in graft- 

 ing or pruning. 



Webster — Thought it was not good policy to plant trees close — trees planted 36 to 

 40 feet apart will produce more fruit as well as earlier, than at a less distance, and will 

 live longer. It sometimes is necessary to cut off large limbs on trees that have been 

 neglected ; but when it is done, the cut should be made slanting and the stump covered 

 with wax. Said a limb that was so large as to need a wedge to prevent too much pres- 

 sure on the scion was too large to be grafted ; had grafted orchards in June with good 

 success. 



Zimmerman — Was not in favor of cutting large limbs in grafting or pruning, but 

 sometimes found it necessary to do so in order to give the tree a proper form. Was in 

 favor of trimming before the sap rises. The wound may not heal over quite so quick, 

 but will be sounder. Trees frequently ruined by cutting large limbs. Trees that pro- 

 duce water sprouts have been abused. Prefers close heads, and so trimmed as to let 

 plenty of light and air come in from above ; does not cut out in thecentre. In plant- 

 ing, he plows both ways a deep furrow ; measures off the proper distance — from 30 to 



