STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 231 



wind from blowing off the fruit. If winds prevail I would sur- 

 round the orchard site at planting with a row of Norway spruce, 

 eight feet apart and thirty- two feet outside the orchard, and setting 

 every fifth row of trees in the orchard to Arborvitse as a protec- 

 tion, both winter and summer, from high drying winds. 



If you have not a favorable location, or if you must plant near 

 the buildings, regardless of elevation, if the ground is level, put an 

 underdrain in the center of each alternate space running one way. 

 If it is impracticable to underdrain, plow the land the width of the 

 rows, which I should make twenty feet apart, letting the dead 

 furrow come directly under the place where the trees were to 

 stand. After two or three pi o wings out, I would then reverse the 

 operation and back-set, raising the place where the trees were to 

 stand at least two feet higher than the dead furrow in the center 

 between rows. 



Soil is of more importance than elevation. The best soil is clay 

 underlaid with limestone. Any cla}' soil is better than sandy soil ; 

 timber soil far better than prairie. Avoid rich alluvial bottom 

 lands. Steep hill sides, if rocky and not easily cultivated, often 

 succeed admirably. If liable to wash, set deep or far enough back 

 so the rains will not expose the roots. Avoid digging holes deeper 

 than the whole field is plowed, and especially if those holes would 

 retain the water. Any soil that will grow forty bushels shelled 

 corn per acre is rich enough for orcharding. If you have any soil 

 poorer than this, give an annual mulch of manure, but do not use 

 any manure about or under the roots at time of planting. Imme- 

 diately after the trees are planted, mulch liberally the surface for 

 three feet each way. If the ground is rich use only half decom- 

 posed marsh hay or clean straw, shavings or sawdust ; if the 

 ground needs it use manure. 



CHOICE OF VARIETIES. 



But first of all choice of stock upon which to grow varieties, I 

 would root graft upon the most vigorous, hardy seedlings raised 

 from hardy varieties, a sufficient number of Transcendent crab 

 scions, using long scions and short roots. When these were two 

 years old I would move them from the nursery to the orchard, set- 

 ting them twenty feet apart each way. The following spring I 

 would graft at the collar with Duchess of Oldenburg and Wealthy. 

 In the fall I would protect these trees or grafts as high up as the 

 limbs with a wisp of marsh hay, after having banked up around 

 the body at least twelve inches with soil, to protect from mice and 



