96 ANNUAL REPORT. 
vated since and the trees have never been pruned. The trees 
done well, having lived through the winter of 1872-3. 
Mr. Pearce. The trees must be cultivated while young. . 
Mr. Jordon. I never knew a large planter that was Be 
in seeding. Can point to cases in which seeding down has been 
successful, but the general recommendation should be to cultivate. 
It is true that some orchards in grass came through the winter of 
1872-3 better than those that were cultivated. 
Mr. Elliot. Mr. Whitney has his orchard in grass, and has better 
success than others, but he cuts the grass and uses it to mulch the 
trees. . 
Mr. Mason. Some trees ought to stand in grass, while others - 
are killed by it. The Duchess is one of the latter, while the Trans- 
cendent set in sod is healthy, thrifty and little subject to blight. 
In Fillmore county there is an orchard, a part of which is used for 
garden and part in sod. In the former the trees are two or three 
times as large, but the branches are killed by blight, while in the | 
latter the trees are comparatively free from blight. Have wondered 
why fruit trees are not divided into two lists, one for cultivation 
and one for standing in sod. 
President Smith. J.J. Thomas says if the trees make a great 
growth cultivate, but not late in the season. The cause of death 
in 1872 and ’73 was late growth and the sudden cold weather. 
Trees came through in 1864, though it was much colder. Should 
cultivate not later than July Ist. 
Mr. Harris, The dryness of the ground was another cause of 
the destruction of trees in 1872 and 3. It was so dry at my place 
that we dug six feet without finding moist earth. 
President Smith. There was plenty of water in the soil at St. 
Paul. 
Mr. Hall. It is a good plan to mulch with flat stones. Cover 
the roots with dirt and then put on the stones and then some more 
dirt. 
Mr. Sias. I approve of that. 
Mr. Harris. That is no doubt the place for the stones rather 
than under the tree. 
Mr. Hart. J doubt the value of stones around the trees in Min- 
nesota. 
Mr. Pearce. One year with another I think it safer to cultivate 
than to seed down. 
Mr. Hart. I find that where I cultivate the tree ripens its ween 
earlier than where I do not, 
