STARTING AN ORCHARD ON A MINNESOTA PRAIRIE. 465 



digs a hole instead of throwing a furrow out ? 



Mr. Teigland : I found it recommended in the Horticulturist 

 to plow out a ditch the first time, and every time I visited those trees 

 I was ashamed of it. Whether any one else can steer the plow 

 straight I don't know, but by using the check-wire of the corn 

 planter I can get the rows perfectly straight, and you will find if 

 you try it that using the check rower is the best method of striking 

 the. ground out straight. 



Mr. Martin : Does not the planting of corn enter into the prepa- 

 ration for the winter? 



Mr. Teigland : My paper is written from the standpoint of one 

 who is living on the western prairie ; and in regard to corn I wish 

 to say that for the first two years there is not much trouble about 

 it, but after the trees become of a certain age I would not have 

 the corn in. 



The President : You leave the stalks standing through the win- 

 ter for protection? 



Mr. Teigland : Yes, sir. 



Mr. Shepherd : Why is the northeast slope considered the best 

 location for planting an orchard? I would like to know the reason. 



Mr. Teigland : Personally I have no experience in that line, 

 but it is always recommended by the Horticulturisc. That is the 

 reason why I thought it was the best plan. It is not so likely to 

 dry out with the southwest winds. 



Mr. Richardson : I would like to ask the gentleman whether 

 he has ever had any trouble by putting water in the hole, whether 

 he has ever had any trouble in the way of killing tree?.? I have. 

 I would not put any water in, I don't care how dry the ground 

 might be. I put in dirt and put in the roots and pack them as 

 solid as possible ; I put the dirt in as solid as I can pack it. I 

 would not have that mud in. I have killed trees by doing that. I 

 would let that water soak away. 



Capt. Reed : This question of where to set apple trees, on what 

 kind of ground, is a very important question. I think it is a ques- 

 tion that has done considerable harm to our state, because it has 

 always been given out that in order to make a tree live you must 

 set it on a north slope. That is the general belief, that you must 

 set an apple orchard on a north slope. Now, my experience is that 

 an apple tree set on a north slope does not do nearly as well as if 

 set on a south slope, for the reason that it does not get as much heat, 

 it does not grow as fast. If a man wants to put out an orchard 

 and never give it any attention, then let him put it out on a north 

 slope, because the trees are not so apt to start in the spring before it 

 thaws out. My experience is that an apple tree will grow on 

 almost any kind of slope or on level ground, but it grows the fast- 

 est and best on a gentle southern slope ; but I want to be prepared 

 to mulch it and keep it back in the spring, and after the frost is 

 out let it grow as fast as it will ; it makes a better producing tree 

 by far. In 1900 I set out some Patten's Greening, and to experi- 

 ment I put them in my garden on a southern slope. One or two I 

 set out in another place. I planted them in the shade to see if it 



