INDIANA HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 241 



iron in the soil, that fruits and flowers are more highly colored, and, as 

 I stated in this paper, I was reading an article from an apple grower 

 who claimed that where iron existed there were the finest apple-growing 

 sections in the world. I linow they gi'ow very handsome apples, but I 

 see no reason why those conditions don't prevail in Southern and Central 

 Indiana. 



President Stevens: What kind of clay have they in the center apple 

 region of Illinois? 



W. C. Reed: It is mostly hardpan soil. It is white clay, underlaid 

 with hardpan. 



Mrs. Stevens: I would like to know when the soil is lacking in iron. 

 can it be supplied? 



C. M. Hobbs: Iron, rusty nails may be inserted in soil. I have seen 

 the c rose, which is light pink; changed to dark pink. 



Mrs. Stevens: How soon might we expect results from time of appli- 

 cation? 



C. M. Hobbs: Just as soon as the iron is rusted. 



Mrs. Hale: I would like to ask Mr. Hobbs, how are we to know when 

 the soil is lacking in iron? 



C. M. Hobbs: We may have some knowledge of it. I think if our 

 fruits and flowers are dull in color, it may be inferred that Iron is lacking. 



President Stevens: The next is selection of nurseiy stock. Mr. W. 

 C. Reed is first on this sub^opic. 



W. C. Reed: In selecting nursery stock for a commercial orchard, 

 one of the first requisites is not to select too many varieties. Only a few 

 leading varieties for a commercial orchard, and, as a rule, trees of me- 

 dium size. I don't think an overgrown tree is as good as a medium size. 

 The overgrown trees are soft and spongy, while the medium-sized trees 

 are more solid, and more apt to stand the winters. I would select a tree 

 with plenty of top, and well-formed limbs. If it was inclined to be forked, 

 trim all forks off and cut off bruised or broken roots, especially of the 

 larger, stronger roots. Don't pick for the small, fibrous roots as much as 

 you do for the large roots. Of course, in some varieties it makes a great 

 deal of diffei-ence in the size and smoothness of the tree. Winesap and 

 Duchess are not smooth ti-ees. Of Ben DaAis and Grimes Golden you can 

 get a straight, smooth tree. Some growers expect straight, smooth trees 

 of all kinds, so if you order such varieties as Winesap don't expect nice, 



16— Board of A. 



