578 ROCK COUNTY, WISCONSIN, 



VARIETIES. 



In putting out an orchard of from five hundred to one 

 thousand trees, I set the root grafts where I want the tree to 

 remain, and drive a stake by each miniature tree, and plant the 

 field for three years to corn, or some low-lived crop. 



The cost of grafts does not exceed one cent each, and I 

 always set two in each place to insure a perfect stand, cutting 

 out or transplanting if both grow. Next to grafts, I prefer two 

 or three-year old trees. 



PREPARING THE SOIL. 



This must be thorough, and if sufficiently rich for corn, it 

 is good enough for apples, pears, plums, grapes, and small 

 fruits. The latter will bear higher cultivation than trees. 



When I have only sand subsoil and gravel knolls, pota- 

 toes and white beans pay best. I then buy my larger fruits. 

 Still, if a».man is foolish enough to think he can succeed, he 

 must dig out a two-horse wagon load of sand and gravel, and 

 go to a limestone quarry or clay ridge, and get soil and stones 

 suflBcient to replace the dirt drawn away, on which he should 

 set his tree. It is very essential in replanting an old orchard, 

 when it is desired to have the trees occupy the same place as 

 the dead trees, to dig out a large hole, burn a brush heap in it, 

 or replace the soil with fresh dirt, as in the case of the sand or 

 gravel above mentioned. By so doing, success and failures are 

 about evenly balanced. In all cases of planting, cut the roots 

 fresh, back to sound wood, unless " callous " has formed. 

 Plant two inches deeper than trees which stand in the nursery. 

 In case of root grafts, set with a dibble, and be sure to make 

 the dirt tight at the roots, and set to the upper bud of the 

 scion. 



I have given instructions as to planting and location 

 before I have named the varieties. This is the most difficult 

 part. If you have a friend or neighbor who has soil and loca- 

 tion similar to your own, see if he has any thing that is a suc- 

 cess. But oftentimes the changing: from one side of a river to 



