186 STATE HORTIOULTDRAL SOCIETY. 



the clover by cutting them as often as needed. You won't kill the 

 clover by frequent mowing if you don't take anything off the ground. 

 This you must not do. Never allow clover to stand more than two 

 years. After all vegetation is dormant, plow under a good second 

 crop that you may get your land thoroughly impregnated with seed. 

 Again harrow and work your ground in spring until May, and sow again 

 to clover. Continue this until six years old. I prefer to use the roll- 

 ing plow. Use all the barnyard manure you can get, and all the wood 

 ashes you can get within ten miles of orchard, and spread broadcast. 

 Do not put ashes close around the tree unless you think your tree is 

 affected with the woolly aphis. Then a shovel of ashes placed at the 

 collar will be beneficial. Never set one tree more than you are able 

 to care for just as it should be. Set all you are able to set financially, 

 then care for each one ; try to make no vital mistakes, and if you live 

 to reap the reward you will bless the day you decided to embark in the 

 noble work. D. A. Robnett. 



DISCUSSION ON ORCHARD. 



Q. How would you prune the roots of trees at the time of plant- 

 ing. 



Mr. Robnett — Cat off broken roots and the ends of long straggling 

 roots to about the general length of the other roots, so they will go 

 into the hole without doubling or digging a trench for them. I dig 

 holes only large enough to take in the roots of the tree without crowd- 

 ing- 

 Mr. Dutcher — We do not exclude hogs from the orchard at all 



times. 



Mr. Robnett — They sometimes do great damage. An old sow bit 

 off a pear tree worth two dollari". They also make deep holes in the 

 orchard to hold water. I would prefer to pick up the windfall and 

 wormy apples and carry them out, rather than risk damage by hogs. 

 They do harm by rubbing the trees. In an old orchard you might 

 possibly turn in a few hogs, if there were no trees less than two years 

 old. I once advised a man to turn sheep into his orchard. They 

 barked his trees. Since then I advise no one to put stock of any kind 

 in an orchard. 



Mr. Murray — I think we have had two excellent papers. I think 

 Mr. Robnett is right in nearly everything, but I prefer wooden tree 

 wrappers to screen wire to protect trees against rabbits and borers. 

 They are also cheaper costing, for l2-iuch by 20-inch size, about $3.50 

 per 1,000. They protect from sunscald, and young trees grow from 2» 

 to 50 per cent, better with the wrappers than without. 



