HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 361 



choose a northern one, if possible. But in this case, as in most 

 other things, we must be governed by circumstances. We are 

 not all favored with northern slopes upon our farms, but if there 

 be one, even a very slight one, that is the site to choose. For 

 in this slope we not only have our orchard so situated as to al- 

 low to a certain extent of a natural protection from the sun, but 

 also have it more favorably situated than it would be if placed 

 upon a level plat, to the extent of its natural drainage, some- 

 thing very important as regards future success with fruit trees. 



A sandy soil is the poorest possible soil for fruit, and if pos- 

 sible such an one should be avoided. Apple trees need an abun- 

 dance of lime in the soil, and sand is very poor in this element. 

 If trees have to be planted in such soil, the holes should be dug 

 very large and filled in with suitable soil well mixed with 

 crushed limestone and bones, if obtainable. 



High land is preferable to low land, but we must not become 

 discouraged if we are forced to take land naturally holding a 

 great deal of water. It may not be ill placed to cite a little of 

 one's observation at the Faribault Nursery. There are small 

 belts of trees growing upon all imaginable soils and locations. 

 The majority of these trees are Duchess. The finest bearing 

 Duchess on the place, and there are five hundred more or less of 

 them, are to be found upon soil where as late as the middle of 

 May of any ordinary spring, you have to dig from but two and a 

 half to three feet in depth to obtain plenty of water. In fact 

 until late in the spring the place is so saturated with water as to 

 form a perfect bog. Here upon these trees grow as fine apples 

 as anyone might wish to see. Large apples, uniform in shape 

 and finely colored. Apples that will command a market any- 

 where. 



A garden or dooryard should never be selected to plant trees 

 in for while in the one case there is not room enough for 

 good cultivation, in the other, we are liable to allow the trees to 

 grow up to grass and weeds, a certain death to the fruit tree. 



Now, that a site is selected, the next thing is to prepare the 

 soil for the trees. This may be done by successive deep plow- 

 ing and harrowing until the soil becomes fine and mellow. 



Apple trees should be set in rows twenty-five feet apart and 

 about eighteen feet in the row. 



Vol. IV— 46. 



