68 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



QUESTION BOX. 



The Chairman: This finishes oiu' program, for the afternoon except- 

 ing the question box, and there have been quite a number of questions 

 handed in to the secretary, and he will read these questions and will ask 

 anj' one to answer them who can give an answer. They are open for 

 discussion the same as a paper. 



The Secretary: Question number one is as follows: 



"What is the proper cover crop for an orchard?" That was partly 

 answered a little while ago. Is there any one who has had any expe- 

 rience with this? 



Prof. Green. Mr. President, I come from your neighboring state of 

 Iowa, and from the experiment station there, and I have had some ex- 

 perience with this. If you have a soil that is rich in nitrogen you may 

 use buckwheat, millet, or oats. If yau have a soil which is defective in 

 nitrogen, use a legume. We have used this year in our experimental 

 orchards, hairy vetch and rape. The hairy vetch is a plant that has 

 the power to take the nitrogen from the soil and store it in its plant 

 tissue. The rape has the power of storing piiosphorcus in its plant tis- 

 sue. The rape however, doesn't have the power of taking it from the 

 air as the legume has the power to take nitrogen from the air, so that 

 I chink from the conditions here, the rape has the power of making a 

 good cover crop, which is like buckwheat — it gives a quick crop and does 

 not hurt to kill out in the sprmg. We also like to use oats in some cases. 

 We like vetch, and buckwheat, and have used cowpeas, but do not like 

 them so well. The vetch, buckwheat and rape have suited us best. 



The Secretary: Question number two, is as follows: "Give formu- 

 las for spraying orchards?" 



The Chairman: That will be discussed tomorrow afternoon. 



The Secretary: Question number 3 is as follows, "What is the paint 

 best for covering prunmg wounds?" I think that question has been an- 

 swered. 



The Secretary: Question number 4, is as follows: "Should cherrjr 

 trees be pruned?" 



A Member: I will state from our locality, and that is all I can an- 

 swer for, that if you will prune cherry trees it will kill them. That is 

 all I can say, because I have tried it to my sorrow. 



Mr. Aldrich: Why do cherry trees just shortly after they get to 

 bearing frequently die out? 



Mr. Christy: I have noticed quite often that where these trees 

 do die in that way that there is a hardpan just underneath, that is very 

 shallow, and the root of the trees can not get through it very far, and 

 the roots of the trees are killed out. I think I have some that aro 25 

 years old, and they are sliU bearing. 



Mr. Aldrich: That is all no doubt vei-y true, but is there anything 

 the matter with the stock. By using different stock, or pajing more, 

 could we get a more enduring tree. 



