THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 33. JUNE, 1905. No. 6. 



CHOP TALK, NO. 3. 



WYMAN ELLIOT^ MINNEAPOLIS. 



1. Soils. From past experience there is no doubt that clay 

 soils and seed chosen from the hardiest northern grown, long keep- 

 ing varieties will produce the most valuable seedlings. Clay soils, 

 of lime formation, are always considered far preferable to those of 

 a porous nature. The young seedlings grown on the lighter soils 

 are apt to bark-burst on the south side on the approach of freez- 

 ing weather, more especially those varieties that come from south- 

 ern grown seed and do not mature their terminal buds early in the 

 season. 



2. In digging some apple and plum seedlings that had been 

 transplanted from boxes when they were two or three inches high, I 

 discovered that the roots were more spreading and did not have 

 as long a tap root as those grown from seed planted in the open 

 ground. Tree seedlings of nearly all varieties when three inches 

 high can be transplanted as easily as cabbage with no greater loss. 



3. Currant Cuttings. A discovery in planting currant or other 

 hard wood cuttings was made last spring. The ground used 

 was ploughed the previous fall. A line was stretched across the 

 field six inches to one side of the exact place of inserting the cut- 

 tings; then with a six-pronged, round-tined hoe the soil was dug 

 up to the depth of eight inches, being finely pulverized and care 

 being taken not to step on the loose soil. Then the line was moved 

 six inches to where cuttings were to be placed, and the cuttings 

 were easily and rapidly inserted. When this row was finished the 

 ground was firmly trodden down on each side, and dirt was drawn 

 in with the steel rake to fill up to top of any remaining cuttings out 

 of the ground. Result, 95% of cuttings grew. A six-tined prong 

 hoe and a sixteen-toothed steel rake are two of the most destructive 

 implements to young weeds just appearing above the ground when 

 used by a careful and judicious person. 



