THE PENINSULA FARMERS' CLUB— DISCUSSIONS. 91 



the surface mellow, that will induce moisture, and it may be that two inches is 

 enough, but I am afraid not. 



Mr. Beinkman — I am g'ad that Mr. Curtis has alluded to this subject of 

 shallow culture. When I heard the minutes of the last meeting read, it con- 

 yeved to me the impression that it was generally conceded that tvvo inches was 

 deep enough to cultivate, and if not intended to convey that impression, that 

 fact should be known. One half of my pear orchard is on clay. I find in 

 cultivating this orchard that on the sand, a double shovel plow does well, bub 

 for the clay portion I find a one-horse plow turning a furrow four inches 

 deep, to do more good, but still better to turn a furrow as deep as possible,, 

 except when close to the tree. Mr. Parnielee cultivates his trees that way, and 

 I agree with him as to the mode. Another point in regard to this cultivation 

 of fruit trees that has not been touclied upon : that is, when to commence and 

 when to quit cultivation. Three years ago there was two-thirds of the nursery 

 stock killed back and many orchards injured by too late cultivation. Now, I 

 should like to hear some discussion on this poir.t. 



Mr. E. Franklin — That would depend on the age of the trees. If the 

 trees were large they could be cultivated later than younger trees. 



Mr. Savidge — I understand that our discussions relate more particularly to^ 

 young trees. Our country is new, and the number of old orchards is so lim- 

 ited that but few would be benefited by a discussion of their treatment. What 

 we have to do with now is the treatment of our young orchards. Before I 

 came here I had but little experience in the management of growing orchards 

 — but three years ago I had the experience common to you all. That hard 

 freeze in the last of October in that year injured my yearling nursery stock 

 very much, and the cause was that it was cultivated too late, and was still 

 growing when the frost came. As a proof that late cultivation was the cause 

 of injury, that portion of my stock that was not cultivated late was uninjured-. 

 Also with orchards. Our peach orchard was not cultivated late owing to press 

 of work, and it was injured only on the tips of the limbs, at the same time neigh- 

 bors that cultivated late had peach trees killed to the ground. As to the time 

 to commence cultivating in the spring, we know that the sooner we commence 

 the sooner will the trees commence to grow, and when growth is the object 

 sought, I should say the sooner you commence to cultivate in the spring the 

 better. But for peach trees in bearing there is some danger of spring frosts-- 

 injuring the fruit while in blossom. I believe it is generally conceded that 

 there is a critical time of three or four days when the fruit buds first open, 

 -when a very slight frost will injure them. Now it is my plan with bearing 

 peach trees to defer cultivation until the fruit buds show signs of opening, and 

 by that means retard the blossoming, then give them a good thorough cultiva- 

 tion and hoeing, and by that means hurry them through that critical time. 

 There is no tree that will feel cultivation, or the want of it, as quick as the- 

 peach. As to the time to cease cultivation, I always give my trees a thorough 

 cultivation the last week of July, and do not touch them again until after 

 there have been several hard frosts in the fall. I find that my trees grow as lat© 

 as it is safe to have them grow, and that they ripen up their wood well. I 

 think that it is a good plan to plow or cultivate an orchard in the fall after 

 there is no danger of starting a new growth, as it can possibly do no harm, 

 and will leave tiie ground in better condition for the spring. As to older 

 orchards bearing later cultivation I have no positive knowledge, but should 

 think that it would not do to cultivate much later than the first of August, as 



