PLANTING AND CULTIVATION OF THE APPLE, PLUM, CHEERY. 345 



The following spring after you have planted your trees remove 

 the dirt you put in the holes in the fall, so they will hold the rains the 

 following summer. The orchard must have good, clean cultivation, 

 and you will find that your trees will make a fine growth each year 

 and you will make fruit growing a success. What would you say of 

 the man that would plant a field of corn and never cultivate it 

 during the summer, but let it grow up to weeds ? He could not ex- 

 pect as good a crop of corn as if he gave it good cultivation. Give 

 your fruit trees good corn cultivation, and you will be surprised 

 how they will grow and how quickly they will give you good crops 

 of apples, plums and cherries. 



When you are planting do not forget to plant a few evergreens ; 

 mix them in among your fruit trees ; they will be a protection to the 

 trees. Put a few in the front yard, and a row around the buildings, 

 and in years to come you will never regret it. 



John P. Ness : Is the apple tree borer destructive here ? 



A. W. Keays : The flat headed apple tree borer scarcely ever 

 does any damage in this part of Minnesota, but during the past 

 summer they have been quite numerous in this section, the only 

 time I have seen them for several years. The trees should be ex- 

 amined just at the ground. They work under the bark, leaving 

 dark lines. You will find borings which look like sawdust around 

 the bottom of the tree. Dig out those dark lines with a small pen- 

 knife, and you will probably find the borer. If it has eaten deep 

 into the wood use a small soft wire and you will soon punch and de- 

 stroy it. I killed a large number the past summer when they were 

 small and before they had done any damage to the trees. 



Question : What are the best plums for this section ? 



A. W. Keays : The four best plums we have fruited to cover 

 the season, and are healthy, hardy, productive, large and of good 

 quality, are Akin, Cheney, Gray and Wyant. We have sixty varie- 

 ties on trial, but several have not fruited yet, and we will perhaps 

 have to change the list. 



Question : Is it a good plan to mulch our apple trees through 

 the summer? 



A. W. Keays : I have tried this plan and think it is a bad plan. 

 I find it brings the small fibrous roots to the surface, and our severe 

 winters will certainly injure the roots. I prefer clean, shallow cul- 

 tivation. My trees do best under this treatment and have not been 

 injured by the hard winters. 



