DWARF FEAR CULTURE, 



oftentimes, none of them survive very 

 well, 



Not long since when lecturing to 

 farmers' institutes in Western New York, 

 I saw a few of about as foolish attempts 

 at manuring an orchard as one could 

 imagine. There were piles of farmyard 

 manure over two feet high carefully 

 placed close to the trunks of the trees. 

 It reminds me of what my friend Prof. 

 L. H. Bailey once said of the absurdity 

 of this practice, that it is like putting a 

 feed of oats in a sack and tying it to a 

 horses legs instead of putting it in his 

 manger. The manure will in time 

 spread the fertility somewhat, but it can 



never do the good in such a position 

 that it could if scattered at once where 

 the feeding roots are. The same is 

 true in principle of commercial fertil- 

 izers. Scatter them where they will be 

 needed, instead of putting an excess in a 

 few places and none elsewhere. They are 

 easily dissolved, especially nitrogen and 

 and potash, as they are usually found. 

 Failure to get good results are often 

 rightly chargeable to such unwise appli- 

 cations as have just been described, 

 and in some cases, actual damage has 

 occurred. Feed the crops liberally but 

 as wisely, as you would your animals. 

 H. E. Van Deman. 



DWARF PEAR CULTURE. 



^^ p^HE simple fact of an orchard 

 being planted on an elevation 

 ,_L sufficient to resist or to escape 

 the blighting effects of an un- 

 timely frost, which often occurs at blos- 

 soming time, or at the critical period of 

 the early formation of the embryo fruit, 

 sometimes results in rewarding the owner 

 with an abundant and profitable crop. 

 The same elevation may secure the ad- 

 vantage of an exposure affording the 

 proper circulation of air. On the other 

 hand, his neighbor whose orchard is 

 located in such a spot as to feel the full 

 force of the destroying element, meets 

 with disappointment and loss. This is 

 in verification of the truth of the state- 

 ment recently made by Mr. J. W. Smith, 

 of the Weather Bureau : " Not only 

 does the climate of each State differ 

 from the adjoining one, but each town, 

 and, in fact, each man's farm, has a 

 peculiar climate to itself." 



Hence the study of the climate of 

 each farm and its relation to the'growth 



35 



of certain plants, will not always fully 

 apply to the neighboring farm or farms. 

 This forcibly illustrates the importance 

 of locating the pear orchard, if possible, 

 where it will be the least liable to be 

 affected by sudden changes, reaching 

 low temperatures as above alluded to. 



The soil considered the most condu- 

 cive to a healthy and vigorous growth 

 of the pear is one consisting of a gravelly 

 clay loam, with clay sub-soil. A light 

 loam soil should always be avoided, 

 though it seems best suited to the peach. 

 Experience proves it, however, to be 

 decidedly objectionable to the cultiva- 

 tion of the pear. Thorough drainage 

 of the soil, either natural or by artificial 

 means, is another important essential. 



After being well pulverized the soil is 

 in condition for planting the pear trees. 

 A distance of twelve feet apart each 

 way was formerly considered the proper 

 distance for dwarf trees. — New York 

 Tribune. 



