118 ANNUAL REPORT. 
thereby encourage an early growth. After the ground is sufficiently 
to warrant it, put on the cultivator with the seeder-like teeth, and pulverize it 
thoroughly. Next, to and between the trees use a narrow potato hook for clean- 
ing out the weeds and loosening the soil. i 
Pruning. eh I 
ae i 
This, I believe. covers all the essential points in cultivating during the period 
necessary to put trees on to the market, but to give directions for pruning trees 
is much more difficult, as it must necessarily vary. 1st, with the variety; 2nd, 
the particular condition they may be in; and 3d, the season, whether wet or dry; 
and each of these conditions being subject to greater or less variations. If your 
yearlings have made the extra growth mentioned, and have come through the 
winter without serious injury. you can, with the same success the second year, 
have a fine lot of trees ready for the market, one-fourth of which will be five to 
six feet; one-half, four to five feet; and the remainder three to four feet and 
culls. Some of the varieties will need to be kept trimmed up pretty well, and 
much can be done by rubbing off the leaves and sprouts before they get too old 
and need the knife; but bearmg in mind that the leaves are the lungs of the 
tree, and that through them it must largely depend for sustenance, you will avoid 
taking off too muchat a time, or you will stunt, rather than increase the growth. 
Varieties like the Haas and Wealthy, in their habits of growth, will need very 
little pruning, and it will need to be done largely with the knife after the limbs 
are too large to rub off. The reason is, that while they are fast growers they do 
not form many limbs, and most of what they do have must be left for foliage. 
The Duchess and Tetofski need much the same treatment for the reason that 
they are slow growers, particularly the latter. Many kinds, however, will, from 
the upper limbs, throw out a vigorous growth of laterals, which will supply the 
needed want, and the lower limbs, and foliage can be kept rubbed and trimmed 
off. ‘Two-year-olds that are not dug for market, will need to be trimmed in the 
spring to whips. Avoid cutting too close to the body, but of course do not leave 
any of the limb. Cut the top or central shoot back so as to have from six to 
eighteen inches of the last year’s growth, cultivate and care for as in the second 
year, and spend your leisure time in looking for some one to buy them or else 
enter your farm under the ‘‘timber culture act.’’ Ifyou should have any three 
year old trees left on your hands you can, in the spring, cut the top off to the 
last or second bud on the previous year’s growth, and keep on doing so each suc- 
cessive year; but what will be the final result, deponent saith not. 
DISCUSSION. 
Taking Up Trees in Autumn. 
Mr. Pearce. I practice taking up trees in the fall, tying in bun- 
dles of a hundred, heeling in for the winter and planting again in 
the spriig. The labor required does not exceed the loss by stand- 
ing in the nursery row, and trees are obtained from this method in 
a very healthy condition. 
Mr. Dart. I have tried wrapping the graft and setting without 
wrapping, and the latter does not answer with small ones. 
