186 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



excluded and the sun has free access. Why? Because it is the hottest 

 place in the day time and the coldest place at night, consequently the 

 greatest and most sudden changes occur. 



Many farmers surround their buildings and orchard with a dense wind- 

 break on all sides and they wonder why the orchard does not thrive. Ex- 

 cept so far as the ground is partially shaded this is a hard spot for fruit 

 trees, and the good of the orchard requires the removal of the wind-break 

 on the north and the trimming up or thinning out in other directions so 

 as to secure a rather free circulation of air, the wind-break being only 

 useful to the orchard by partially shading the ground and preventing 

 fruit from being blown off. 



The best treatment seems to be cultivation; shallow near trees and 

 mulching with manure at the rate of 30 loads to the acre each and every 

 fall or early winter. Cultivation protects against drouth, mulching pre- 

 vents root-killing and manure keeps up vitality. The bearing orchard 

 that is not well manured will soon starve to death. 



The Transcendent and some other crabs subjected to this treatment 

 might blight to death. 



Prune early and lightly in such a way as to secure a low top with center 

 stem and moderately sized side branches. 



If trees like the Wealthy kill down, allow sprouts to grow up from the 

 ground without pruning and they will soon make bearing trees. But we 

 must be on the lookout that such trees are not eaten by rabbits, or crushed 

 by settling snow drifts. 



What shall we plant? After our experiment stations have had a little 

 more time they will be good authority, but for the present read the reports 

 of our State Horticultural Society or apply to an orchardist in your own 

 locality. If you find an honest nurseryman (there are many such) take 

 his advice. It will be safest never to take the word of a canvasser whether 

 he sells trees or anything else. 



Where shall we buy? Buy of the nearest nurseryman who has the rep- 

 utation of being honest. 



The far fetched and dear bought theory is the biggest humbug in the 

 world when applied to trees. 



Beware of the man who sells wonderful new things at extravagant 

 prices, unless you have plenty of money and love to be sold. 



OTJB HITS AND MISSES IN ORCHABDING. 



BY EDSON GAYLORD, NORAH SPRINGS, IA. 



It is but too true we have hit little and missed much. What little we 

 have hit has come to us more by accident or incident than from any sys. 

 tern or devised plans. Up to 1884 and 1885 we have most persistently fol- 

 lowed the plans our fathers taught -us in other climes. It is needless to 

 add that this course brought us to one general wreck in 1885. In short, 

 we were then absolutely forced to stop and look over the wreck and learn, 

 if possible, what were the causes that have led us on to such glaring 

 mistakes. 



Our first great mistake was in what has proved a very unwise selection 

 of orchard sites. We selected first the warmest, coziest places we could, 



