farmers' institutes* 659 



No. 1 trees. Now we have the orchard set, aud our work, in reality, has 

 only scarcely commenced. 



The orchard should be thoroughly worked at least every ten days, until 

 the first of Julj^ August would be better. An Acme harrow is the best 

 tool for this work I have ever used. It leaves the soil fine aud level and 

 will hold moisture during the dryest weather scarcely half an inch below 

 the top of the soil. At the time of the last working I have been sowing to 

 cow peas and think much of them as a cover crop. The vines should be 

 left to decay and furnish humus. The first frost will kill them and they 

 will be well decayed by spring and the ground very loose and fine. The 

 next spring, as early as your ground is dry enough, take a disc harrow 

 and cut the orchard both ways. This cuts up the soil in fine shape and 

 also the vines. Then drag or roll both ways; then run the cultivator both 

 ways and you have the orchard in fine condition to retain moistui'e. 



Run your Acme harrow both ways al)Out every ten days thereafter 

 until the first of July. If you have no Acme harrow use a weeder or even 

 a spike tooth harrow. The idea is to keep the top soil fine and loose 

 and prevent a crust from forming, therefore preventing rapid evaporation. 

 Sow cow peas about the 1st to 10th of July, and repeat culture every year 

 thereafter unless the orchard is very heavily laden with fruit, in that 

 ease cultivate every ten days all summer, or after each hard shower. Win- 

 ter rye may be used for a cover during winter, in that case, but must 

 be thoroughly killed very early in the spring. In the selection of fruit 

 trees always get standard varieties and if possible the ones that you 

 know to do well in your immediate vicinity. If you will set some new 

 vai-iety, set it very sparingly as at least ninety per cent, of the new kinds 

 of fruit trees introduced are a failure as compared to standard varieties. 

 When trimming newly set trees you need not cut back anything very much 

 except peach, which should always be cut to a cane twenty-four to thirty- 

 six inches in height. Of course in setting other trees, if they have but 

 few roots, or the roots are drj'^ and you don't feel like putting them in 

 the proper place, "the brush pile," you must cut them back severely, also 

 if you are setting overgrown trees that are too large to set use the knife 

 and have it filed only on one side. Pruning is advised but "be careful," 

 cut only, small limbs and commence in time. Heavy cutting back of 

 peach trees on off fruit years, especially after heavy CTops, will certainly 

 pay as they form new heads in a very short time and seem to renew 

 their former vigor without receiving permanent injury as is the fact with 

 most other varieties of fruit trees. 



Spray when needed, and only when needed, but always be ready to 

 s^aay if needed. This year I have successfully marketed the largest fruit 

 crc^ I ever did, and the most perfect fruit so far as insects and rot ai'e 

 concerned. I also kept a $14.50 barrel sprayer in the barn, a .$10.00 knap- 

 sack sprayer in the garret and a keg of Paris gTeen and a large box of 

 copper sulphate in the surrey shed, and they were there all summer, too. 



