184 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



work, and when the trees shade the ground too much for such crops, 

 then cultivate for fruit alone. 



TJiis is necessary in order to keep the ground mellow and moist, 

 and to cut the roots so as to multiply the small fibrous rootlets which 

 are essential to the highest condition of fruitfulness. 



Have you ever taken into consideration the amount of w^ater that 

 a large apple tree, heavily loaded with fruit and leaves — or with leaves 

 alone, — will require in the hot summer days to keep up the supply 

 thrown off by the foliage and retained by the fruit? If so you will not 

 be surprised at seeing the leaves small, yellow and sickly, and the 

 fruit small and shriveled on the trees in hard soil, with grass, weeds, or 

 small grain robbing the little starved rootlets of their drink. 



In cultivating care should be taken to keep the surface as level as 

 possible. If the land is poor or is a heavy clay a top dressing of stable 

 manure, sawdust, chips, ashes or lime, or a mixture of any or all of 

 these materials, may be given with great advantage. 



If we expect continuous heavy crops of fine apples, year after year, 

 from the same trees, we should be as constant and as faithful in their 

 care, cultivation and feeding as the successful stockman is in the care 

 of his fine animals. 



The cultivation of the bearing orchard should consist of plowing 

 the ground late in autumn, and of stirring it several times in early 

 spnng and summer before the trees are bent by the weight of fruit. 



I recommend small mules, harness with no hames or anything else 

 sticking upward to injure the limbs of the trees ; also short whiffle-trees 

 as the best and most efficient outfit for this work. 



Destruction of insects is one good result of frequently stirring the 

 soil and keeping it clean. 



PRUNING. 



While I unhesitatingly denounce the cutting and slashing gener- 

 ally practised, as worse than no pruning, yet I am a firm believer in 

 careful annual pruning, to begin with the young trees when first 

 planted. 



Prune to shape and thin the top. Cut out all cross limbs, and see 

 that the head is evenly balanced on the trunk. Leave no forked trees, 

 for sooner or later they will split. 



After the first full crops the tops will be spread with weight of 

 fruit, and for several years thereafter but little pruning will be needed 

 more than to cut out the broken limbs and suckers. 



