232 ANNUAL EEPOBT 



bark bursting. I would make these grafts from uniform heads at 

 two to three feet high, and when the branches were the size of a 

 lead pencil to one-half inch in diameter, I would then graft a few 

 to Alexander, Red Astrachan, Tetofski, Utters, Haas, Wolf River, 

 Rollins^ Pippins, Fameuse, Talman Sweet, Pewaukee and Willow 

 Twig, with such other varieties as have gained any local reputation, 

 adding a lew varieties of crabs, the best of which I consider Whit- 

 ney's No. 20 and Hyslop, for as long as Hyslop sells at $5 per 

 barrel in the Chicago market and Fall Wine Sap apple at $1.50 per 

 barrel, they will pay. 



But I should depend on Duchess and Wealthy for 99-lOOths of 

 fruit and profit in dollars and cents. 



In grafting do not cut off more than one-half the limbs of any 

 tree in any one season. Any variety which is succeeding on soil 

 and location like mine I should expect would do far better on 

 Duchess or Wealthy stocks. But you are safe to grow these two 

 varieties, and if you want to buy Spitzenberg, Baldwins or Green- 

 ings, Duchess money is the best money to use in buying them. 



My advice would be to let Russian men grow Russian varieties 

 till some good long keeper has proven itself free from blight and 

 having a Duchess constitution. There are plenty of men who are 

 trying these varieties. It is not profitable for the orchardist to 

 grow many varieties or experiment with new kinds. 



CARE AND CULTIVATION. 



Low hoed crops only should be planted in the orchard annually, 

 until the trees are large enough to bear, then seed to clover and 

 pasture to hogs; never cut and remove any hay from the ground, 

 if not fed down let it remain as a mulch. During the years of 

 cultivation, avoid plowing nearer than six feet from fhe trees. 

 Appply an annual mulch at the time of the first frosts in autumn; 

 if the ground is rich, put on a poor mulch, if poor, a rich mulch 

 as far out as the branches extend. A young tree should not make 

 over eighteen inches of growth in a )'ear, while a tree of bearing 

 size should not make over six inches; if there is a probability of 

 greater growth the leading shoots should be pinched off the 10th 

 to 15th of June, and in no instance let any cultivation, hand weed- 

 ing or hoeing be done about the trees after the 1st of July; it 

 necessary use the scythe. The mulch should be removed and the 

 soil cultivated lightly about the trees in May and June, until they 

 get to bearing, after which cultivation should cease and the mulch 

 remain. 



