ANNUAL WINTER MEETING AT WARRENSBURG. 183 



soil — placed a little deeper than they grew in the nursesy — with tops 

 inclined to the southwest a few inches, so as to brace against the pre- 

 vailing summer winds, and branching at three to four feet from the 

 ground. Such being the condition of the j'oung orchard, I advise that 

 it be planted in root crops, melons, beans, or dwarf varieties of corn. 



Cultivate such crops, and along with tbem cultivate the archard. Be 

 careful not to damage the trees with the implements used in cultition. 

 See that the whiffletree does not bark the trees. Hoe around the trees 

 when necessary to keep the soil clear of any weeds that the plow or 

 cultivator has not destroyed. Keep the soil loose by any means; keep 

 off all vines, such as morning glory, etc. While hoeing keep a close 

 watch for borers ; they may be detected by worm dust at the surface, 

 or by scraping gently over the bark for three inches below the surface 

 with a knife, and if a hollow sound is detected, or if the bark yields 

 under the pressure of knife or fingers, then cut till you find and kill 

 the worm. A piece of whale bone a few inches long, and no thicker 

 than a small straw, can be used in many cases to punch him to death, 

 and so save cutting the tree so badly. Cover such wounds on the 

 trees with soil. 



Cultivation should cease in young orchards, especially if the 

 ground is rich, by about the fourth of July, so that the young wood 

 may ripen before winter sets in. 



Late in autumn the trunks should be wrapped and tied up with 

 paper, hay, straw, corn stalks, or like material, to prevent rabhits from 

 barking them. This will also give quite a protection against hark- 

 huTsting. This wrapping should be removed early in summer that the 

 trees may receive the full benefit of air and sunshine. 



Care should be taken to keep the trees in proper position during 

 summer, as they often get loosened by wind and bent over. They should 

 be straightened up and earth pressed firmly about them. A piece of 

 tough sod may be used and tramped into advantage. Should such 

 treatment fail to keep them in place, stakes may be used, but care 

 should be taken to so tie the tree to the stake that it will not be 

 rubbed and bruised on it. 



The number of years that the apple orchard should be cultivated. 

 Most writers tell us ""for several years," and then leave us to guess 

 what is to be done thereafter. Many seem to think that when the 

 orchard comes into bearing it is able to take care of itself among grass 

 and weeds, hence leave the trees to their fate. I fail to see the con- 

 sistency of such a way of doing. 



I am a firm believer in continuous cultivation. While the orchard 

 is young the income from the crops referred to will pay well for the 



