Winter Meeting. 289 



'Mr. Mendenhall. — The Kennards Choice sold this year for $5.00 per 

 barrel. 



W. P. Stark. — Kennards Choice is of the Wine Sap type but a 

 more vigorous tree, it bears as early as the Missouri Pippin and gives 

 favorable results for the first several crops. It is being planted in South 

 Illinois and seems to be giving satisfaction but is subject to scab and for 

 that reason we are not pushing it. 



PRUNING AND CULTIVATION OF AN ORCHARD. 



(Ohas. W. Steiman, Dalton, Mo.) 



Pruning is to the fruit tree what training is to the child ; both should 

 commence in the nursery. The average fruit grower should pur- 

 chase thrifty, first-class, two-year-old trees, direct from the nursery. Trees 

 should be heeled in immediately upon arrival, and kept thus until ground 

 is ready for planting the following spring. During the fall months the 

 ground should be plowed preparatory for spring planting. Early in 

 spring the ground should be harrowed well when sufficiently dry, and 

 the trees to be set out. Each tree should be examined while planting it. 

 Cut off with pruning shears all multilated roots and broken branches ; 

 also cross branches and any branch that has grown to form a fork. At 

 this time prune no more than absolutely necessary. For every cut is a 

 wound and checks the tree's growth. While planting, the most promi- 

 nent branches should be placed so as to be on the side of the prevailing 



.. winds and to shade the tender trunk. 



" When through planting, do not for once entertain the idea, ''your 



work is now finished thou good and faithful servant ;" but the trees look 

 to you henceforth for protection, care and sustenance. They should be 

 protected from stock and the ever present rabbit, and cared for, in 

 giving the ground thorough tillage. Trees like animals need feeding; 

 as they cannot walk, fertilizing food must be brought to them sooner or 

 later. Wrap all trees as planted, either with veneer or wire cloth screen. 

 This facilitates close cultivation to trunk of tree with the plow and pre- 

 vents rabbits and borers doing damage. One sided, broken down, dilap- 

 idated trees, so often seen in young orchards, teach us the wisdom of 

 having a good stock fence around the orchard. 



Young orchards should have thorough cultivation and weeds kept 

 under control, especially the soil around the trees should at all times 



n-19 



