MY EXPERIENCE IN APPLE GROWING. 415 



under the snow upon coming to this mound they are turned aside, 

 and the apple tree is saved. 



Apple trees must also be fed by stable manure for mulching-, but 

 in no case should it be piled close to the body of the tree, but spread 

 out. The man who tethers his cow out in one place all the time and 

 expects plenty of milk will be disappointed; just so the man that 

 plants apple trees for all time will be if he fails to co-operate with 

 nature. Our father Adam was an apple grower of the highest type, 

 but by disobeying orders he was driven out of the garden, and since 

 then his children have been out too. 



PLANT HOME GROWN APPLE TREES. 



F. W. KIMBALL, AUSTIN. 



I am asked to tell the advantages of planting home grown trees in 

 the apple orchard. While I may not be able to state many reasons, 

 one is enough to cause me to buy home grown instead of outside 

 stock. When you buy home grown, and the trees fail to do well or 

 fail to prove true to name, as do many of the foreign grown trees, 

 then you know where and with whom to register your "kick." 



I do not think the ordinary planter can afford to buy except of 

 home grown stock. I think our nurserymen cannot afford to and do 

 not chance growing a lot of stock that is not reasonably safe to grow 

 in this climate. If they are in that business, it is to make a living, 

 and a living reputation, and to that end they cannot aiford to de- 

 ceive any farther than they have allowed themselves to be deceived. 

 Again, they are all in touch with the fruit interests of this section 

 and can better advise the planter what to plant, and as very few are 

 well enough read on this subject to know what to try, it is of great 

 advantage to have such advice. They can also better advise as to 

 soil, location, etc., for an orchard; and as most buying stock wish it 

 to grow (though should you see them take them and bundle them 

 into their wagons and not even cover their roots from the hot sun, 

 you might think them indifferent even to that), they can best assure 

 themselves of a living chance by buying home grown stock that 

 comes to them, the limbs bright, the roots in perfect condition and 

 bound to grow with half a show, instead of the stock I have seen dis- 

 tributed from this town, brought in big boxes and stood around for 

 days, the limbs shrivelled, the roots diied up and the whole appear- 

 ance of that sickly order that causes you to wonder if that stock can 

 grow at all. And it is a well known fact that much of it is not true 

 to the name it is sold under. So, as I first said, buy where you can 

 make your "kick" in case you need to. 



Tomato Rot. — This disease is caused by a fungus which is dis- 

 seminated from plant to plant by winds, insects and other agencies. 

 The best remedy against this pest is spraying with bordeaux mix- 

 ture. The fungus spreads most rapidly during warm, moist seasons. 

 It is therefore best to commence spraying before the plants are 

 affected even, and repeat the operation every week or two. 



