172 State Horticultural Society. 



whip, cutting back the very small ones to the ground and let them take 

 another start. When the young sprouts and limbs come out and get 

 about one inch long you put on a leather glove and rub each tree about 

 two feet high ; j'ou can trim a good many thousand a day in this way, 

 and it leaves them nice and smooth. If at any time you find anything 

 to come off the body, break or rub it off while yoiuig and tender. 

 Sucker the little ones you cut off at the ground to one sprout and you 

 will find it will make a fine tree by fall, much better than if you had 

 not cut it off. This is about all the pruning that is needed, if done at 

 the proper time, and they will look like }ou had put a coat of varnish 

 on them. 



DIGGING. 



There are but few dug at one-year-old, M'hich should always be 

 dug with a sj)ade. When two-year-old trees are to be dug for early fall 

 orders, you must first strip off all the leaves, but later in the fall after 

 the leaves have been well frozen vou could leave them on, but I would 

 prefer having them off. The tree plow i% the proper tool to dig them 

 with if you are going to clean the ground. But if only part of the 

 trees are ready to dig, you will find it best to use the spade, otherwise 

 those that are left to run over until spring or a third season will not do 

 so well. 



HANDLING. 



Handle them carefully after digging. Haul them to the packing 

 ground, heel in well and do not let them lie exposed to the sun. Dry 

 or cold wind is also bad on the young roots, and when ready to ship to 

 the customer, pack well so that the roots will not dry. 



growijstg, hain'dling and pruning apple trees. 



E. L. Mason, Trenton, Mo. 



The proper age of the apple tree for planting in the orchard, is a 

 question that has been thoroughly discussed by members of this society 

 at previous meetings, so I can not hope to' add anything of sj^ecial 



