64 WESTERN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



northern exposure is best, the ground sloping- to the North if 

 possible ; a clay loam is best, and a sand or gravelly subsoil 

 the worst, but shelter is needed and that from every direction. 

 To plant trees on the open prairie with nothing- to break the 

 force of the wind or hold the snow in winter is only time and 

 means wasted, and the expectations of the planter will never be 

 realized. The trunks of the tree will also be greatly benefited 

 by protection. This is best done by boxing- the trunk with 

 boards reaching- from the ground up to the lower limbs, then 

 filling- in with earth. This keeps the body of the tree always 

 in a healthy condition and lessens its liability of becoming- 

 black-hearted ; of course the boards are removed in spring-. 

 Bark-bursting- is g-enerally more noticeable the first and 

 second years after planting-, especially if a vig-orous growth 

 has been made the past season ; examine the trunk carefully, 

 close to the ground and under the ground, and if you find the 

 bark burst away from the wood wrap it tig-ht around with a 

 strip of waxed cotton then bank up with earth to exclude the 

 air. Root-killing- arises from 3 7 oung- trees being- grafted on 

 tender roots and planting- too shallow in our warm, deep soil; 

 our dry winters and extreme freezing- kill the tender roots 

 and your tree dies. The dang-er is greatly increased if during" 

 the winter the snowfall is lig-ht or the snow is blown clean 

 from around the trees. In 1893 from this cause alone I lost 

 over two hundred apple trees; they all budded out nicely, 

 showing- that the tops were hardy enoug-h, but they never g-ot 

 any further. On examination the roots were found killed on. all 

 trees around which no snow had lain. The best remedy for 

 this trouble is to plant deep, so that the scion will emit roots, 

 then plant the spaces between the trees with small fruits. 



I believe in close planting- ; twelve feet apart each way is 

 far enoug-h and lean the trees to the south-west, head two 

 feet from the ground. Never let your tree lean to the north- 

 east, which it will have a natural tendency, to do, or the 

 blazing" sun in March will g-et in its deadly work. 



Plums are supposed to succeed best when a number of 

 varieties are planted tog-ether, but six feet apart each way is 



