194 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



head without any central growth. After this but little pruning will be 

 required, only keeping off water sprouts and limbs that cross each 

 other 



If land is kept in fair tillage for five years the orchard will begin 

 to bear, and most orchardists with advanced ideas would tell you to 

 begin spraying. My experience is that a drove of hogs in an orchard, 

 from the time the apples begin to fall in the spring until the gathering 

 time, is worth more to the fruit-grower than all the spraying machines 

 ever built; in fact, with me, spraying thoroughly two seasons was a 

 failure and really a detriment. 



As soon as mature apples begin to fall picking should begin. If 

 weather is fine I put the apples in piles for a week to color up. The 

 fruit should always be put on the north or shady side of the tree in 

 flat, thin piles, and a week will greatly improve the color. Then pack 

 from the piles, using regular 12 peck barrels, facing with best colored 

 fruit and having the apples uniform in size all through the barrel. 

 Shake barrel well when filling, and fill so as to press head in solid 

 enough to prevent rattling. The trade is very particular as^to this mat- 

 ter. I first press in with a false head lined on the under side with 

 cotton or other soft material ; then press in the head, nail and line; 

 then brand quality and variety on the faced end of the barrel. The 

 slacked-packed barrels will greatly injure the sale of the best fruit, 

 and common fruit cannot be sold at any price often when slack- 

 packed. 



We have had considerable discussion among fruit-growers for the 

 past few years as to the pasturing of apple orchards with sheep. This 

 season I had 200 sheep pastured on my orchard, and I consider them 

 a great advantage, as they keep down weeds, and their droppings are 

 quite valuable as a fertilizer. Of course, small trees have to be staked 

 and bodies of all trees kept washed with the tar, or lime and carbolic 

 acid wash, to keep the sheep from barking bodies of trees. 



W. R. Wilkinson, Altenburg, Mo. 



[ This wash should be used with a great deal of caution, as many 

 have lost trees from the use of it. — L. A. Goodman, Secretary.] 



BEN DAVIS ORCHARD IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. 



We are all enthusiastic in our work of growing the "Big Ben Davis," 

 prices this year being remunerative. Many others besides myself will 

 set large orchards of "Ben's" this coming spring. The first lesson 

 we have learned after getting our trees in bearing is that we must spray 

 or quit the orchard business. The next is we must cultivate thoroughly. 



