264 Missouri State Horticultural Society. 



mitted for hogs and pasture afterwards, during the season. From 

 the higher and poorer soils not a spear of clover (which is by far 

 the best for such localities), should be removed from the ground. 

 Every limb and twig that is pruned from the trees should be left to 

 rot upon the ground ; to do this that they be not in the way cut 

 them a foot or two in length, placing them in the open spaces ; 

 here they will aid in holding every leaf, weed and grass, which 

 serve in their decay, as a mulch and fertilizer for the soil. 



An orchardist, in planting some hundreds of apple trees upon 

 a high ridge where every particle of loamy soul had worn away, 

 claimed that he would astonish all with the fine fruit he would 

 grow there — by thickly strewing the ground with decaying wood, 

 and plenty of lime from year to year, though this was not carried 

 out to the letter. The trees were very healthy and productive. In 

 this case the rotting of the wood formed a good mulch aud ferti- 

 lizer. 



The cracking of many varieties of apples (those especially late 

 in growth and ripening) caused by drouth checking the flow of the 

 sap — maturing the fruit prematurely — which, by the fall rains be- 

 ing forced into renewed growth, expanding the pulp cells of the 

 apple more rapidly than those of the skin — could be remedied by 

 a good mulching applied before the soil had become entirely dry. 



In orchards planted on hillsides — seeding in grass and clover 

 becomes indispensable by cultivation in such situations, to prevent 

 the soil from washing away one space between rows is ploughed. 

 The next left, and so on. These spaces receded the following 

 year, and those left ploughed in turn, mulching after ploughing 

 always, if possible. The result in fruit, borne on trees treated 

 in this manner, though they stand on the steepest hillsides, other- 

 wise untillable, will pay. 



These three subjects form very important factors to the fruit 

 grower. Mulching in dryer portions of our country becomes the 

 main stay of fruit growing with us during the heated term ; its use 

 is advisable since its action is two fold, holding the moisture aud 

 fertilizer. 



By culfivation, we bring our trees to that state of cultivation 

 and vigor wherewith to produce those abundant crops we desire. 

 And, lastly, the seeding of tlie ground aids in checking the more 

 rapid growth of wood, bringing the tree to that state in which its 

 vigor is turned into a fruit bearing condition. 



