224 State Horticultural Society. 



but if they are well cared for, they will soon demonstrate that they 

 have none too much room. 



Having done the necessary fall work preparatory for early 

 spring planting, the trees should be at hand, ready for the work. 

 If the trees are to be obtained from a distant nursery, I should 

 prefer getting the trees and hauling them out in the fall to having 

 them shipped in the spring; for often a nice spell of weather may 

 be lost by not having the trees at hand, and before you can get 

 them the weather may be too wet or too dry, and so you lose the 

 favorable time. These things, I am aware, are of minor import- 

 ance; but, still, it counts largely in the long run to get a good 

 growth the first year, if you want your trees to come into bearing 

 early. 



Having marked off your ground the proper distance each way, 

 at the intersection of the furrows, I would dig a hole, 2 feet square 

 and 2 or 21^ feet deep and plant your tree, first filling in surface 

 soil 3 or 4 inches at the bottom ; then as much well rotted manure, 

 and over this surface soil enough to allow your tree to stand 3 or 4 

 inches deeper in the hole than in the nursery.* Then put in your 

 tree, spreading the roots naturally, and fill in with surface soil, 

 working the dirt well under and among the roots. When the hole is 

 nearly full, press down firmly with the foot, leaning the tree slight- 

 ly to the southwest, in order to shade and protect the trunk from 

 the 3 o'clock sun. Then finish filling the hole, slightly pressing the 

 earth and heaping the soil around the tree. Some one may object 

 and say, "This is a tedious job and hard work." I reply that he is 

 entirely correct ; but success is not to be attained without labor, and 

 it is worth something for the young trees to make a good growth the 

 first year, and then be in a position to do better the next. 



Having put your land in good tilth and your trees carefully set 

 out, you should remember that this is the trying season for the 

 young trees, and they must not be left to take care of themselves. 

 The land should be capable of producing at least a fair crop of corn, 

 and I think a corn crop cultivated both ways, is probably the best 

 crop for the young orchard the first and second years. I should be 

 careful not to plant the corn rows so close to the trees that the plow 

 or cultivator could not pass between the corn and trees without in- 

 juring the trees. 



In this way there would be left but a small space around each 

 tree to cultivate with the hoe. This space should not be left to the 

 weeds, but be well worked and kept mellow and clean. As the com 

 grows taller, it will shade the ground, and the trees also, some part 



*One inch is better.— Sec'y. 



