FACTORS IN FRUIT GROWING SECTIONS. 25 



An experiment with the Kteffer pear at the Michigan Agri- 

 cultural College during the summer of 1907 seems to indicate 

 that the Kieffer ought sometimes to go on the self-sterile list. 

 A Kieff-er tree was enclosed in a canopy of muslin with one 

 branch left outside the canopy. The air within tbe canopy was 

 made to circulate daily by artificial means during the blossom- 

 ing period so as to insure pollination of at least some of the 

 flowers. Not a fruit set und-er the canopy, while the branch 

 that was left outside and was free to receive foreign pollen pet 

 fruit freely. 



Preparing the land. 



(a) The land on which the fruit plantation is to stand 

 should be in as good condition as possible before the fruit plants 

 are set out. Do not 1-eave this work to be done after the plants 

 are set for it costs more to do it then and the plants will very 

 likely be injured in the process. 



(b) Get the land into good shape for a first class crop of 

 corn; then it will be in good condition for fruit plants. 



Time to plant. 



(a) In severe locations and with the more tender kinds 

 of fruits early spring is undoubtedly the best time for planting. 

 It Is also the best time for the beginn-er, as there is less lia- 

 bility of failure in spring planting. 



(b) For the hardy fruits, such as apples, plums and pears, 

 in sections where there is little danger of winter injury, autumn 

 is possibly the best season for planting. 



(c) It is often desirable to plant in autumn even though 

 extra care is required in order to save the crowding of work in 

 the spring. In severe locations autumn planting may often be 

 practiced successfully, providing the stems of plants are laid 

 flat on the ground after planting and covered with a few inches 

 of earth, and afterwards mulched on the approach of winter. 

 In doing such work the location of the top of the tree should 

 be marked with a stake so that it may be found easily in the 

 spring when it is to be uncovered. Autumn planting is often 

 a convenient practice and may save the necessity of doing such 

 work in the apring when fruit growers are generally crowded. 



