370 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



After it has established itself the next thing for it to do is 

 to make out of the materials at hand that with which it can re- 

 produce its kind, that is to say, fruit and seed. It then begins 

 to think about producing fruit buds, speaking figuratively, and 

 about bearing fruit. We then have in the period of slower 

 growth a mature condition which is favorable to the repro- 

 duction of its kind. We must understand the philosophy of these 

 different conditions of growth to handle our trees most intelli- 

 gently : First, the period of vegetative growth which is not con- 

 ducive to productiveness ; and, second, the period of more mature 

 but of slower growth which favors fruit production. 



In growing an orchard our first desire then is not to bring 

 it at once into bearing. Many young trees have been injured by 

 allowing them to bear heavily when they are young and before 

 they have gotten themselves well established. The first thing 

 we ought to do with a young tree is to give it a good, thrifty, 

 vigorous growth and make a framework fit to carry heavy loads 

 of fruit. 



There are various things, as we know, that must be con- 

 sidered in getting that kind of growth. In the first place, we 

 must see that the soil conditions are favorable. If there are 

 periods of a week at a time in which the soil is full of water, and 

 the water stands there stagnant, it has just the same effect upon 

 the tree as it has on the corn field. The cornstalks will begin to 

 turn yellow under such conditions of stagnant water. They are 

 asphyxiated; they are suffocated. The little fine feeding roots 

 are choked out of existence because they cannot get the air which 

 it is necessary for them to have in order to do their work, in 

 order to carry on the vital processes of taking in plant food and 

 of living and growing. 



One of the things which we horticulturists do not sufficient- 

 ly recognize is the fact that the roots must have air to carry on 

 the vital processes of root growth and activity. Down in 

 the cypress swamps of Louisiana you will find cypress trees 

 sending up great "knees," as they are called, three or four feet 

 tall or more. These are great growths of porous wood coming 

 up from the roots, and sticking up above the water. What are 

 they for? They are hollow inside; they are simply contrivances 

 of the plant for getting air to the roots. 



We, as orchard men, as fruit growers and as agriculturists, 

 must recognize this principle, that roots need air. How far 



