Ajjpli' () rclniras. 343 



way. The advantages are greater difficulty in gathering the fruit from 

 higii trees than from low ones; greater distance of shade cast by them, 

 and more purchase by the wind. One must use good judgment in plant- 

 ing the different classes and varieties of fruit trees. He muot know 

 his tree, what is its habit, therefore, its possible future. Pear 

 trees should be headed lower than apple trees, because they 

 generally have a more upright habit. Two feet is not far from 

 right to begin their branching. Peach trees should be still 

 lower — about twenty inches is an approved height. Plums vary 

 greatly in style of tree. The Abundance and nearly all of the Japan 

 class are very upright, wdiile the Burbank is very drooping. The other 

 classes of plums vary somewhat, too, but the native kinds are usually 

 spreading and the European upright. From twenty inches to three feet 

 is about the range for length of trunks, to be judged according to the 

 necessities. Cherries are very much the same as plums, the sour kinds 

 being of a spreading habit. Quince trees of all varieties that I know' are 

 prone to bend towards the ground, and need to be headed about two feet 

 high, and then frequently pruned from below to keep the lower branches 

 off the ground. — Colman's Pural World. 



' THE APPLE ORCHAKD. 



'"li we leave nature alone she will plant weeds and grass to pump 

 the soil. A timothy sod that will give two tons of hay per acre will 

 pump out of the soil during the season five inches of water — equal to 

 more than 4,000 barrels of water per acre. This may be more water than 

 falls during August and September when the apple crop is most in need 

 of moisture. To replace this amount of water would require the time of 

 a man and a team a full month, even though the haul was only one- 

 fourth mile. To save moisture is one of the most important problems 

 of orcharding at present. "We can not afford to divide the supply of food 

 and moisture with either weeds or grass. The trees need it all, and 

 must have it for the best results. We know that cultivation saves 

 moisture. A mulch on the surface of the soil })revents the wind and sun 



