I-k S MINNESOTA STATE HOKTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 



planting after ploughing. He spoke of a new implement, the Na- 

 tion weeder and Breed's weeder, or the Hallock weeder, some 

 preferring one to the other, either doing good service — they are 

 great labor savers in first cultivations, leaving the ground with a 

 fine dust mulch, that prevents evaporation of moisture from the 

 soil. The Ajax and Planet Junior horse cultivators were good im- 

 plements. 



He planted raspberries and blackberries in rows eight feet apart, 

 using two horses with cultivators and weeders — and wide enough 

 for manuring. In pruning he used long two-handled shears or 

 long handled pruning knife. The method of setting plants to be 

 cultivated by Breed's weeder is to put the plant in rows, with a 

 slight depression, set with dibble or spade. Then the weeder slides 

 over the plants without disturbing them, often cultivating with the 

 weeders four times before using the single horse cultivators, em- 

 phasizing the most essential point, to start earl}-, before weeds 

 have passed the seed leaf stage. The great secret of success was 

 in the thorough preparation of the land before planting. Light, 

 friable, loamy soil preferred to heavy, tenacious or gumbo clays. 

 Use tools for cultivation with narrow teeth first week in preference 

 to the wide toothed cultivators, and those with a gyratory motion 

 would be desirable. Several experienced growers favored single 

 horse cultivation, often covering four to four and one-half acres 

 per day. 



Next paper, by W. L. Ames, Oregon, Wis., was "Fruit for the 

 Farm." This paper was from the large farmer's view, where a 

 400-acre farm was managed with little help, employing only two 

 men besides the owner. Size of trees recommended for planting 

 were eight to ten feet high — because he could get them from 

 a near neighbor's and could get them into bearing quicker, often 

 second year. Most planters present discouraged planting so large 

 trees. * His trees grew in sod and were mulched with chip dirt and 

 coarse manure, ashes, etc. This method the best cultivators criti- 

 cised as not being as good as clean, thorough cultivation. 



TUESDAY P. M. 



"Flow to Care for the Orchard," by Edwin Nye, Appleton. In 

 selecting varieties, he recommended quality before quantity. To 

 this proposition all did not agree. Many thought quantity with 

 size and appearance outweighed quality, unless with other commer- 

 cial qualifications added. Vine crops were preferred if the ground 

 between the trees were to be used for crops, especially leguminous 

 crops, accompanied with thorough cultivation ; manure often with 

 clover and other green crops, turned under to add fertility to the 



