320 MISSOURI STATE IIOR^TCULTURAL SOCIETY. 



growth, and puts the hind in the best possible condition for the growth 

 of young trees. 



We endeavor to break this new hind as soon after burning as we can 

 during the fall, using heavy plows made for that purpose, and drawn by 

 four heavy mules. This land is left laying to the action of the frost 

 through the winter. In the spring we cross-plow and harrow thoroughly, 

 then it is ready for tree planting If you would lay a foundation for a 

 noble orchard, pulverize the soil thoroughly before planting. 



DISTANCE BETWEEN TREES. 



This is still an unsettled question in the minds of many planters; 

 while the trees are small, sixteen feet seems to be quite far enough, but 

 I think in this locality, where the tree is of long life, and grows to be 

 very large, twenty feet would be much better. 



In planting, we use one-year-old trees, and always set in the spring, 

 taking trees fresh dug from the nursery, or if dug in the fall, kept in root 

 houses over winter. 



Before planting, they should be entirely stripped of branches, 

 leaving only a straight stalk about three feet long. To make it conven- 

 ient, each variety should be set in blocks to themselves, with driveways 

 through, to enable easy reach with wagons. 



For mulching we would depend on cultivation. If the soil is fre- 

 quently stirred about the tree, sufiPcient moisture will be obtained. 

 Plant the ground to corn, for by leaving the stalks on the land, corn will 

 take less strength from the soil than any other cereal. On some varieties 

 you w ill begin to have fruit at two years from planting, at which time 

 stop cropping but continue the cultivation 



For the work, we use while cultivating the corn the common double 

 shovel plow, after that we use several kinds of implements. The main 

 idea is an implement that will do the work, both thoroughly and speed- 

 ily, in the least time and at the least cost. An excellent implement is 

 a frame made like the common A harrow with sixteen or eighteen cul- 

 tivator hoes, with bow attached to enable easy handling; the frame be- 

 ing five or five and a half feet wide, one man and team can cultivate a 

 large acreage per day. We expect the trees to make from one to three 

 feet growth each year In prunning we have practiced the method of 

 cutting all branches off the next year after planting, and with some we 

 have just headed in shortly. If the tree has made a good growth and 



