200 State Horticultwral Society. 



blight causes the foliage to drop by midsummer, as it often does, 

 or if the trees are half starved, or need the moisture of which they 

 have been robbed by the weeds and filth that is allowed to grow all 

 summer, is it reasonable to suppose that those buds can develop 

 as perfectly and as strong and bo as well able to withstand the se- 

 vere climatic conditions of winter as would be the case if the trees 

 were given the help of a little spraying to hold the foliage, and, 

 perhaps, some cultivation to conserve moisture? Of course, there 

 is a happy medium of treatment on the "off year," but many or- 

 chards are allowed actually to suffer because a crop of fruit is not 

 immediately in sight. 



Perhaps the cart has bedn put in front of the horse because 

 nothing has been said about soil, location, etc., and all these factors 

 are fundamental in importance, and, if disregarded, all other ef" 

 forts are handicapped in proportion to the seriousness of the mis- 

 takes that are made. But these are matters which have been con- 

 sidered by you many times, and so should not call for the promi- 

 nence that was perhaps once accorded them. Frequent mistakes 

 have been noticed, however, and allusion may be made in passing 

 to one or two points. For successful orchard purposes, a soil 

 should possess at least two characteristics : it should be reasonably 

 porous and friable, the subsoil as well as the surface soil, so that 

 the roots of the trees may readily penetrate it ; besides this, if it is 

 too heavy and impervious, it is too rententive of moisture, and, 

 therefore, poorly drained. It should contain a good amount of 

 available plant food; in other words, be fairly fertile. These are 

 the two prime requisites in a soil for the satisfactory growth of 

 trees. Of course, soils which possess these characteristics may not 

 all be equally well adapted to fruit growing. 



As to location, the matter of elevation is one of the most im- 

 portant features, and it frequently is a source of trouble. Eleva- 

 tion in relation to the surrounding areas is perhaps fully as im- 

 portant as the actual elevation above sea level. A good elevation 

 insures the drainage of water from the soil and the drainage of 

 cold air from the orchard, giving greater immunity from frosts. 

 There are some orchards, even in the Ozark region, which, though 

 having a high elevation above ses level, are in low places in com- 

 parison with the surrounding country, and it is very doubtful if 

 such orchards will be successful except in the most favorable sea- 

 sons. 



The whole question of varieties is likewise one of the things 

 that is fundamental, and it can be settled only by the most care- 



