270 ANNUAL REPORT 



trust, will be recommended for not only trial but for general culti- 

 vation at this meeting. The fruit interests of the State are lan- 

 guishing for a hardy late keeper of even fair quality. I think if I 

 were setting an orchard, I should put in a few Tetofski for summer 

 use, and also some few of the St. Lawrence, Walbridge and Plumb's 

 Cider for later varieties. 



DISTANCE APART. 



Some plant even only eight feet apart, some ten, some twelve, 

 some sixteen, and some even thirty-two feet. I think from twelve 

 to sixteen feet is better and the latter distance more preferable. 



SETTING. 



Before you set your trees see that each ragged root is carefully 

 cut back to good white wood. The new rootlets start from the 

 juncture between bark and wood, and if it is dead and ragged at 

 the end their growth will be slow or not at all. I wouldn't trim 

 back the top very much. It is enough of a shock to the tree to cut 

 off its legs at the ankles without cutting off its arms at the elbows. 

 I used to think differently, but experience has led me to change 

 my mind and I think that the cutting off of the broken limbs should 

 be all that needs be done at first. 



In setting dig a big hole deeper than you need your tree to be set; 

 throw in some of the surface soil first, making the middle of the 

 hole the highest, set your tree on this elevation a little deeper than 

 it was in the nursery, and then on it put more of the top soil ; see 

 that the dirt is packed carefully around the roots aud leave the 

 surface of the ground around the roots a little hollowing at first so 

 that the early rains may thoroughly soak into the earth about it. 

 Leave all mulching off and let the warm sun shine on both the tree 

 and the earth about it, for there is no artifice for propagation equal 

 to the warm sun of spring. Take plenty of time for setting, and 

 be careful to have each row in line if you would have a symme- 

 trical orchard. 



AFTER CARE. 



If you want an orchard, keep all the stock out of it ; don't, I b^g 

 you, try to pasture your cows on the trees ; don't even let them 

 once walk through it, for a broken limb may destroy forever the 

 beauty of your tree. If it has been well set it ought soon to begin 



