13(^ State H otic 111 tiiyal Society. 



I have seen elm trees peeled in this way to get rid of the rough l)ark. 

 You must not bruise or injure tlie peeled surface; if you do, new bark 

 will not grow. 



This year I saw on the banks of the Kaw river some very fine peaches. 

 I inquired into the treatment of this orchard. I found that it had been 

 cultivated and plowed. Every variety of fruit, from the strawberry to 

 the apple had a good crop. Where the orchard had not been plowed, 

 though other conditions were the same, there was little fruit. There 

 was some condition of warmth generated there. I can not explain it, 

 but I take it that this cultivation had much to do with it. Adjoining 

 orchards without cultivation had no such crops. From one hundred 

 trees of one variety the owner gathered 2,500 baskets of peaches, an 

 average of twenty-five baskets to the tree. 



D. A. Robnett. — I know of an instance just the opposite of that told 

 by Major Holsinger. From a cultivated orchard there w-as no fruit, but 

 a good half crop of peaches from an orchard that was not cultivated. 



N. F. Murray. — I girdled 1,500 apple trees. It did not kill them. 

 The girdled trees and those not girdled had a full bloom last spring, but 

 the girdled trees set and held five times as much fruit as the others. 

 Where there was any tendency to blight the girdling was injurious. 



Secy. Goodman. — Let us keep to the subject of cultivation. 



J. C. Evans. — I have always advocated thorough cultivation, but 

 the longer I live the more I have to learn. I have in mind a peach 

 orchard partly plow^ed across the rows of varieties. Every tree that 

 stood in the plowed ground was free of peaches ; in the ground not plow^ed 

 there was a good crop — just the opposite of ^lajor Holsinger's experi- 

 ence. I think it is not good to plow peach orchards early or apple 

 orchards late. 



A Cass county man spoke of the careless handling of young- fruit 

 trees by those who buy to plant. One man bought twelve pear trees, 

 planted them in his yard and let the cows eat them up. He believed in 

 cultivation in various ways. He planted potatoes or beans and culti- 

 vated with a hoe around the trees, enough to keep the weeds down, and 

 then sowed in clover for four or five years. 



Question: Do you intend to plow that orchard again? 



Answer : Excuse me, I done sold that place. 



C. B. Green. — There is a proper tim'e to cultivate, and that time is 

 in the spring of the year. I think right pruning would have the saine 

 effect as girdling. I do not believe in too much cultivation, say five, 

 six or seven years for young orchards. I think a mulch to keep the land 

 free from weeds, and to hold the moisture would be better than much 



