96 7 ANNUAL REPORT. — ri 
“#ALL PLANTING AND ROOT-KILLING OF FRUIT beri x war 
*| ‘ A veeistisa i) 
Mr. Pearce’s paper on ‘‘ Fall Planting and Pact killing ’’ was 
then called for and read, after which it was ordered on file for pub- 
lication. 
The following is the paper in full : 
Fail Planting. 
Since the fall of 1872, preceding the cold winter, I have planted or caused 
to be done from 100 to 1,000 fruit trees each fall, usually three to four years 
old, and in no instance where the trees were of hardy varieties, wood well 
ripened and trees properly set, mulched, and, if necessary, the mulching wet, 
have the trees died or presented a sickly appearance. I do not write this 
to induce others to practice fall planting on a large scale, for it is very likely 
many of them would fail, owing largely to the unripened condition of the 
trees when received from a distance, as nurserymen who have large amounts 
of trees to deliver in the fall commence digging before vegetation ceases, 
stripping off the leaves. Such trees are not fit for fall planting; they will 
do for spring, providing they cap be kept from freezing during the winter. 
Root! Killing. 
It is a well-known fact, by those who have given this subject their 
careful attention, that the dry condition of the soil late in the fall, just 
previous to freezing up, is one of the principal causes of root-killing. It 
matters not how hardy the roots are, freezing and thawing in dry ground 
is sure death, and every fruit-grower who expects to make apple raising a 
success must pay strict attention to his soil, especially late in the fall. 
Mulching at the proper time is considered a sure protection against dzouth, 
but there are times in order to make the roots of fruit trees secure against 
all doubt, it is well to wet the mulching. This should be done a few weeks 
before the ground freezes up, providing the ground is not sufficiently moist 
to draw the frost from the roots of the trees. 
The fall of 1872 was exceedingly dry; but little moisture was in the soil. 
I was then in the nursery business; had several thousand trees from two to 
four years old, many of which were sold and delivered, some were set out 
and the balance heeled in. Those set out were mulched, ana the mulching 
kept wet until the soil was good and moist. Those that were heeled in were 
managed in much the same way. The roots were placed in loose earth and 
properly covered with earth root and branch, mulching placed over the roots 
and that wet till the ground was well saturated with water. In both cases 
the trees came out all right in the spring, while those in the nursery unmo- 
lested were nearly all root-killed in the spring regardless of varieties. 
The past fall the ground in regard to moisture to protect the roots of fruit 
trees against root-killing was in an excellent condition, and I apprehend no 
