REPORT OP VERNON COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 161 



most fruit was seen on that side. I first noticed in seventy or seventy- 

 one this fact, as I took a tour of observation over our county, in order 

 to make a report to our State Board of Agriculture, and at the same 

 time first noticed that orchards that were protected on the south by 

 broad belts of timber and left exposed to the north, were less injured 

 by the frost than those lying on the south side of timber; for the same 

 reason on account of our southwest wind, the trees in being set out 

 should lean slightly towards the southwest, and the lowest limb should 

 be left on that side if possible, so as to protect the stem from the 

 scorching effects of our hot summer sun, and for the same reason the 

 most of our trees should be headed low. 



It will also pay a handsome return, in my judgment, to stake oqr 

 trees when young, in orchards on prairies, for the continual twirling 

 and whirling by the winds of our trees and the wabbling about, beating 

 the earth back from the stem over half an inch or more, and leaving a 

 vacant space for five or six inches down, tend to retard the grov/th and 

 deforms the trees, also renders them more liable to be injured by severe 

 frost. 



Too it is as necessary to trim the broken or bruised roots when 

 planting, as to trim branches and limbs in same plight above ground. 

 The trees should be planted as soon as possible, they are received from 

 the nursery if the weather or condition of the soil will permit, or else 

 properly healed in. 



In bringing nursery stock from station or depot home the roots 

 should be well protected from the sun or frost, nor should the roots be 

 suffered to lay in the sun any length of time after removal from pack- 

 ages. If the roots are frozen on the way home from depot, they should 

 be at once placed standing (all covered) with water, and often this will 

 save them upon the same principle as the application of snow or cold 

 water to a frozen human limb. 



The planting of trees should not be delayed too long after leafing 

 time, as it is generally a hard matter to make trees grow after leaves 

 have put out, and there are a few, perhaps, that are exceptions. 



As to the amount of limbs to be trimmed off before planting, there 

 is a difference of opinion. J think the proper proportion that the total 

 amount of roots should slightly be in excess of the limbs. Peach trees 

 require more pruning, for that, as a rule, is too prone to make super- 

 fluous wood. I have observed that in setting out of shade trees on our 

 streets and parks and yards, as a rule they have little or no roots, and 

 scarcely anj'^ vestige of limbs, everything slashed off as if they were 

 mimicking a bobtail pony — a mere stick, as it were, stuck in the ground 



HR— 11 



