MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 365 



One of the most important things in planting an orchard is to 

 make no mistake in selecting varieties. A common and serious mis- 

 take is that of buying too many varieties. Determine at your leisure 

 what you wantand don't be spurred into giving an order because some 

 man comes along with a smooth tongue. For commercial use select 

 those which are known to be of good quality, handsome appearance 

 and good keepers, and which have proved themselves adapted to your 

 locality. An apple tree is something you can't afford to experiment 

 with. Our principal variety is the Ben Davis. 



The first two or three years is the time we do most of our prun- 

 ing. We start our trees with a low head, two or three feet from the 

 ground. If your tree is pruned right the first three years it will not 

 be neccessary to do much pruning after that. A tree should not be 

 allowed to make an acute fork as the tree will split down when in 

 heavy bearing. Pruning should be done every spring before buds 

 swell. Don't cut and slash whenever your knife is sharp. 



Cultivation of an orchard is another important item. Oar plan is 

 to cultivate our orchard the same as we would a corn crop. If an 

 orchard is to be made profitable it must receive as good care as any 

 other crop. Corn is a very good crop to grow in an orchard while 

 young as it makes its principal growth after the apple has ceased to 

 grow. Xever grow crops in an orchard that make their growth early 

 in the spring as it has a tendency to check the growth of the trees. 

 Sowed crops should always be avoided. Oats is the worst crop which 

 can be used, for it stands on the ground so long and pumps out the 

 moisture at a time it cannot be spared ; and in all sowed crops there is 

 no conservation of moisture by cultivation. The man who hopes to 

 raise an orchard and grain on the same ground had better leave the 

 orchard unplanted. After the orchard is large enough to bear it should 

 have clean cultivation during the growing season. Some crop, such as 

 peas may be planted, when cultivation ceases tocovc^r the ground dur- 

 ing the fall. If the orchard is cultivated every year it will rarely ever 

 fail to have a crop. 



A part of our orchard has been bearing about seven years and 

 we have never had a failure since it'commenced to bear. The key to 

 success in'growing an orchard successfully is to stir the soil. 



J. S. Foster. 



