80 



Elberta, but has been nearly a failure here. Don't plant it. A few 

 years ago it would have been very desirable to get something later 

 than the Elberta, but now so many peaches are put into cold storage 

 and held until after the bulk of the crop is marketed that later ones 

 do not bring as high prices as formerly. A No. 1, 4 to 5 foot year- 

 ling tree is a good grade for orchard planting. 



Setting out the Trees. — If one is ready to plant the trees within 

 a few days after they are received they may be left in the box. The 

 box should be put into a shed or barn cellar and covered over with 

 hay or straw to keep the trees from drying out. If not ready to 

 plant the trees at once, open the box, loosen the bundles and cut the 

 body of the tree off for about 20 inches above the bud, cutting off 

 all limbs. Cut off the broken parts of the roots, also, and dig out 

 the borers. The trees should then be placed in a trench deep enough 

 so that they will be covered above where they are budded, taking 

 pains to sift the dirt in around all the roots. Do not allow the 

 roots to dry out. If possible the trench where the trees are to be 

 placed should be in the lot where they are to be planted, as they 

 are much handier and time is saved in carting. When it comes to 

 setting out, it is well to have a barrel of water on a stone boat in the 

 lot to wet the roots in. As to distance apart, the writer plants 

 apple trees 32 by 40 feet, and plants two peach trees between one 

 way, and one the other way, making the trees about 16 by 13 feet. 

 This, no doubt, is too close for some localities, but here where the 

 life of the peach tree is so short it is far enough apart. Dig the 

 hole deep enough so there can be 2 or 3 inches of good top soil 

 placed in the bottom. Then set the tree in the hole so that the place 

 where it is budded will be a little below the level of the ground; 

 sift the good soil in around and over the roots and tread firmly. 

 Care should be taken not to injure the roots while treading. Put 

 about a pound of bone or other good fertilizer into the hole and mix 

 thoroiTghly with the soil. Next, fill the hole nearly full, leaving a 

 little hollow with the tree in the center, so that when it rains the 

 water will have a tendency to settle around the tree instead of run- 

 ning away from it. 



Cultivation. — Cultivate and hoe the trees as you would care for 

 a field of corn until the last of July or first of August. Sow oats 

 and turnips or some other cover crop, such as vetch or clover, if 

 you can gi'ow it. If the land is steep, so that it is liable to wash, 

 plow furrows along the side of the hill, beginning near the top 

 and turning the furrow down hill to catch the water. Plow furrow 

 so there will be fall enough to carry the water off. Plow similar 

 furrows along the side of the hill as often as is necessary to take 

 care of the water. These furrows should be plowed deep and 

 cleaned out with a shovel; then scatter a little fertilizer in and 



