TRANSPLANTING THE APPLE IN THE NORTHWEST. 42 1 



"In a general review of the subject of this essay, noting the vari- 

 ation from the practices of recognized writers on horticulture that 

 are being practiced by northwestern planters, as represented in the 

 sixteen whose views I have quoted you, it is apparent that Prof. Goff 

 has struck the key note when he says 'an adequate supply of water is 

 the most important condition for the well-being of plants,' and that 

 these variations are the result of a recognition of the fact that the 

 water problem is the orchard problem of the northwest. This un- 

 doubtedly does not apply so much to all parts of Wisconsin as it does 

 to Minnesota and the Dakotas. The selection of a northeast slope ; 

 the insistence of protection from the southwest ; the necessity of dig- 

 ging and burying in the fall the trees to be planted the following 

 spring, rather than leaving them out to be weakened and destroyed 

 by the drying winter winds ; the deep planting, sometimes even in 

 deep furrows, and, finally, the necessity of mulching or continuous 

 and most faithful cultivation ; all these facts point to the prime neces- 

 sity of guarding every process to insure a sufficient water supply 

 which has been forced upon the planters of the northwest as a result 

 of the dryness of our climate. This, it seems to the writer, is the 

 great lesson that we have been learning in the last quarter century, 

 and the recognition of which is placing orchard culture in this region 

 upon a secure basis. 



"These are rather rambling thoughts. In taking up the subject I 

 had not in mind an essay on the conservation of moisture in orchard 

 culture, but my investigations have naturally drifted this way. I 

 leave this to you as my final thought, the orchard planter in the 

 northwest will succeed directly in proportion as he shall use every 

 means at his command to conserve the necessary amount of moisture, 

 without which his orchard cannot possibly thrive. 



Summarr. 



"Grouping together the opinions of those whose judgment has 

 been invoked to supplement my own, as set forth in these notes, 

 upon the few points connected with apple culture in orchard touched 

 upon, we reach the following composite conclusions : 



"1. Select a notheast slope for an orchard. 



"2. Provide protection for the orchard from the direction of 

 prevailing winds, usually from southwest. 



"3. Select for the orchard a strong clay loam, with a subsoil of 

 clay pervious to moisture. 



"4. Dig the trees in the late fall and bury for the winter. 



"5. Plant in the spring as early as the ground is in good condi- 

 tion to work. 



"6. Plant trees three years old and four to six feet high. 



"7. Prune the roots only as necessary to trim off all bruised 

 ends, cutting from beneath outward. 



"8. Prune away one-half of the new growth from the top. 



"9. Plant the tree from four to six inches deeper than it stood 

 in the nursery." 



