WINTER MEETING. 191 



I am confident of this one thing, that when a man plants a com- 

 mercial orchard that he wants to select those varieties only that are 

 known to do well in this climate; that will hang on the tree until 

 gathering time, and then will bear shipping, and have keeping qualities. 

 When I plant again seven-eighths of the trees will be Ben Davis. 



As to the cultivation of the trees, the orchard was manured, cul- 

 tivated in corn, rye sown and plowed under, the borers taken out twice 

 each year. The orchard is ten years old and has yielded three crops 

 of apples, and has paid for itself and the ground on which it stands 

 clear of all expenses. 



It is as easy to raise an orchard as to raise a crop of corn ; your 



attention has to be given to either if you are successful. The growing 



of the apple in our State is but in its infancy. We are right in the 



center of the apple belt, and we are coming to the front in this 



industry. 



G. N. Ratliff, Moberly, Mo. 



KOTES O^ APPLE CULTURE. 



After suitable climatic conditions, the next most important ele- 

 ment of success in raising big red apples is to get good, fertile, well- 

 drained soil, and as Southeast Missouri, especially that portion lying 

 tributary to the Mississippi river from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis 

 has almost perfect climatic conditions, about all we have to do is to 

 secure good upland soil. I prefer upland, because such has better air 

 drainage. It should be fertile enough to grow good corn. I have had 

 better success with virgin soil, clearing off the timber during the win- 

 ter and planting the trees in the spring, although I favor fall planting 

 where it can be done. I always do my replanting in the fall. After 

 selecting the land the next most important thing is in securing the best 

 varieties to plant. 



For a family orchard of 100 trees I would recommend as follows: 

 For early, 10 trees each of Yellow Transparent and Red June; for 

 summer, 10 trees each of Yellow Horse and Maiden's Blush ; for fall, 

 10 trees each of Grimes' Golden and Jonathan; for winter, 10 Ben 

 Davis, and 15 each of Black Twig and Raule's Janet. These varieties 

 will give a succession from earliest to latest ; all are good growers, early 

 to medium bearers and good quality, except Ben D.ivis, which has so 

 many good habits we can overlook its poor qualities somewhat. For a 

 commercial orchard for profit I would recommend Ben Davis only. It 

 is one of the best growers we have, is an early bearer, fruit hangs on well, 



