144 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Pruning to stimulate growth must be done in the spring, but to 

 <jheck growth must be done in the summer. 



{Cultivation : 



S. W. Gilbert — Thorough cultivation; grow no other crops in the 

 orchard. Keep the ground loose with a double-shovel plow. In the 

 fifth year use the cow-pea for a fertilizer ; let them cover the ground 

 and plow under or leave as a winter protection. 



J. C. Bender — Grow all the crops you choose, but let them lie on 

 the ground as a mulch. Weeds should be cut with a mower and let 

 be for a mulch. Ground will be getting better instead of poorer. 



H. Schnell, Glasgow — Keeps his orchard for five years in crops 

 of corn, potatoes, berries or vegetables, and alternates with clover. 

 This orchard is admired by all who see it. 



Prof. Keffer — Treat the orchard as you would any other crop. 

 ■Cultivate the trees as you would a corn crop. Too many make the 

 orchard a secondary crop, and the crop in the orchard the first thing 

 to see after, while the opposite should be the case. 



Mr. Kessler recommends buckwheat as a good crop in the orchard, 

 a good one also to plow under for fertilizer. 



J. Ames — I am afraid to crowd the growth; I fear it injures the 

 vitlaity of the tree. Cherry trees that I have cultivated most are the 

 largest, but they likewise show signs of decay the most. Pears that 

 have had only poor cultivation have blighted less than those which 

 have been thoroughly cultivated. 



L. A. Goodman — Our discussion is on the apple orchard, and the 

 pear and cherry both require different treatment from the apple. If 

 this discussion is to cover all the ground, then when the peach, pear 

 and cherry come up, we will have no discussion. 



Mr. Schnell — My soil is sandy and washes badly. I have to use 

 clover to stop its washing. 



Mr. Bailey, N. M. — Trees grow rapidly enough with us. Trees 

 five years old are 16 to 24 inches in circumference. We cultivate in 

 corn altogether — raise 50 bushels per acre. 



A. J. Davis — Fine surface cultivation is the best, not deeper than 

 two inches, but go over the ground often. 



Fertilizers : 



S. W. Gilbert — The cow-pea is the cheapest fertilizer we can get. 

 They grow enormously, and either plowed under or left as a mulch, 

 they serve a good purpose. Likes drilling them in the best. Sow 

 them the last of May or the first of June. 



