SUPPLEMENTARY PLANTINGS IN THE ORCHARD. 99 



ing things between raspberries and strawberries, and more particu- 

 larly raspberries and blackberries. I thought the ground should be 

 covered with something ; I thought it ought to be shaded with some- 

 thing adapted to it so it would not injure the crop. I put in potatoes, 

 turnips, onions and peas and, finally, beans. Our experience with 

 the peas was not very satisfactory, but the beans we have planted 

 three years. We have got a variety of bean that will drop its leaf 

 before we pull them. 



PLUM ORCHARDING. 



MARTIN PENNING, SI.EEPY EYE. 



Wild plums thrive best where the soil rests in a state of nature. 

 They propagate, or perpetuate, themselves by two methods, viz. : ( i ) 

 by seeds falling in the ground and (2) by sprouts from the roots of 

 the trees. A slight covering of the seeds with soil or leaf mold in the 

 fall causes the seeds to grow in the spring. The seeds usually send 

 down a tap root through the surface soil, and if the moisture is suffi- 

 cient for life the root makes a right angle and searches for food in the 

 leaf mold or surface soil. If moisture is lacking the tap root goes 

 stra^ht down and sends out lateral branches in search of food. 

 Where the seeds are sown for cultivation in a finely prepared soil the 

 roots usually go straight down, as the ground is not shaded and the 

 natural conditions of moisture are not present. There are two ways 

 of securing this necessary moisture for the growing trees and the 

 production of fruit : by mulching and by thorough culture, or work- 

 ing, of the soil. 



The mulching, though apparently conforming to nature's 

 method, has a tendency to produce roots nearer the surface, and the 

 trees are more liable to suffer from drought than when the soil is 

 properly worked and kept finely pulverized. 



Though nearly all of our soil has all the elements of fertility 

 needed in plum culture, the trees will bountifully respond to generous 

 manuring if the land has been devoted to grain or grass previous to 

 planting. Almost any of the new lands are adapted to plums. 



In cultivating the plum orchard where manure is applied, more 

 or less weeds and grass will appear. The trees should be set so as to 

 facilitate plowing and working both ways. Shallow cultivation is 

 much the best, as deep plowing has a tendency to break the roots 

 and thereby produce much sprouting and injury to fruiting. If 

 weeds or grass are taken in time, very little plowing will be neces- 

 sary. In any case the culture should only be deep^ enough to insure 

 good work. 



