462 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



GENEKAL FRUIT GKOWING— HOW TO TAKE CAKE OF 



TREES. 



Bv J. H. LKJ)Y,"ifarion, Pa. 



This topic embraces so much that I scarcely know what to say 

 in the time that is allotted me, in orde^ to bring out the most that 

 the topic suggests. 



While fruit culture in Pennsylvania is as yet practically in its 

 infancy, and w^iile it is true that we must depend largely upon com- 

 mercial orchards, because of the numerous and various insect pests 

 with which we must contend, and to make orcharding a complete 

 success, the grower must devote his entire time and attention to 

 the business to make it profitflble; yet it seems to me that every 

 farmer in Pennsylvania should grow at least enough fruit of all 

 kinds, or nearly all kinds, to provide this luxury for his family 

 during the entire year. I shall not take up your time going over 

 varieties in particular, but will suggest that every farmer have an 

 orchard, commencing with strawberries and following up with the 

 different varieties of raspberries, blackberries, plums, peaches, pears 

 and apples. By a careful selection of these fruits, which are 

 adapted to his soil and climate, he should have fruit for the table 

 from May 15th to May 15th. Plant the trees that do well in your 

 locality, follow the man who has succeeded with certain varieties, 

 and to a very great extent leave experiments with new varieties 

 to the other fellow. Every farmer should experiment in a modest 

 way, of course, but not plant many trees which are uncertain and 

 which has not been tried in his locality. 



To get back to my topic, I will start with planting an orchard of 

 one acre, composed of trees filled in with small fruits. First, plow 

 the ground deep and cultivate it thoroughly, then mark it out, 

 starting at a given point, running a straight line along one side of 

 your plot, and mark it with parallel lines every fifteen feet, then 

 cross mark it everv eighteen feet; this will make your plot marked 

 out fifteen by eighteen feA. Commence to plant where you com- 

 menced to mark, first planting an apple tree, eighteen feet farther 

 on at the crossing, plant a plum or a dwarf pear, whichever is best 

 suited to your taste, then eighteen feet farther, in the same furrow, 

 plant another apple, and so on until you have completed this row 



