4l8 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



on their own grounds and this fact has a bearing upon their pref- 

 erence. The large majority, however, prefer the fall digging, and 

 this view agrees with my own experience, aside from the convenient 

 opportunity that may come to a planter who has trees upon his own 

 place and can remove them and transplant at once without delay. 



"Following naturally upon the practice of digging trees in the fall 

 is that of caring for them through the winter. The replies to this 

 question are divided between the cellar and burying out of doors,, de- 

 pending probably upon whether or not the cellar at hand is suitable 

 for keeping trees. Eight speak of burying them all over, root and 

 branch ; six only speak of heeling them in, but it is fair to presume 

 that the thought here is also the same, that is, to bury them and 

 cover them entirely ; one calls attention to burying them in sandy 

 soil, but says nothing about mulching them after so burying, which, 

 would, of course, be absolutely necessary to insure safe keeping. A 

 number speak of using this mulch over the covering of earth, and it 

 should by no means be neglected. With the trees sufficiently buried 

 and carried through until the following spring, we have arrived at 

 the problem of planting. 



"At what time in the spring should the orchardist in the north- 

 west set out his tree? On this subject there is not very much dis- 

 agreement, early spring or as soon as the ground can be worked 

 being the very general conclusion of those who have considered this 

 question, ten of the sixteen responding in almost these exact words. 

 One fixes it definitely at April 20th, and another at from April 20th 

 to May 10th. There are four of the sixteen, however, one-quarter 

 of the number, who have evidently another thought on this subject, 

 as they take the position that the ground should be warm before 

 planting, two of them referring to it in this way and one carrying the 

 thought in recommending 'early corn planting time ;' another 'as the 

 buds begin to swell on the orchard trees.' In my own practice I have 

 had the best of success in planting about the time referred to as 'early 

 corn planting time,' and if the trees are on one's own ground they 

 may perhaps be dug and transplanted with some success even after 

 the leaves are beginning to start a little, but it is undoubtedly better 

 that the trees, unless dug the fall before, should at least be dug and 

 heeled in very early in the spring, when the question of planting 

 either quite early or a little later may be one of convenience. 



"Having considered, then, the subject of time of planting, we 

 may next decide upon the character of the tree to be used. What 

 shall be its size, age and method of propagation? The sources of in- 

 formation I have used agree in the use of a root-grafted tree, though 

 they diverge a little here as to the method of its making. One speaks 

 of grafting on hardy roots, — upon this point, however, certainly all 

 are agreed. Two would create this orchard tree by top-working it. 

 Three would use whole roots and graft in the crown. Six speak 

 specifically of using a long scion and short root. The majority, 

 however, as it appears, do not lay stress upon this point. 



"As to the age and size of the tree there is considerable diverg- 

 ence within a limited range, one only of the sixteen expressing a 

 preference for a tree one year old ; eleven, however, would plant a 



