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Many orchards are planted on sandy soil, and while under the best 

 culture they often produce excellent fruit, the trees are shorter lived 

 and are more subject to blight, because of higher temperature of the 

 soil and from lack of moisture. The quality and character of the soil 

 affect the quality of the fruit, which is indicated by the skin of the 

 fruit. Where the skin is of a smooth, glossy character, with uniformity 

 in the shape of the fruit, the highest quality is obtained. 



The pear cannot thrive in a soil too retentive of water, and under- 

 draining is one of the first operations to be performed with a clayey 

 or heavy soil. According to the amount of water to be carried off, 

 the drains should be laid from 30 to 60 feet apart, using tiles 4 inches 

 in diameter, with collars, and laying them 3 feet deep. Drains are 

 valuable not only for carrying off surplus water, but they aerate the 

 soil by the air drawn into them. They also convey the humidity or 

 moisture of the atmosphere to the soil in times of prolonged drouth, 

 thereby aiding the growth of trees and other vegetation; hence they 

 become equally valuable in wet and in dry weather. 



Preparation of the Land for an Orchard. 

 The soil should be plowed as deep as may be done to make a loose 

 condition for the roots of the trees when they are planted. A crop of 

 corn or potatoes grown the first year will put the soil in the best con- 

 dition for the trees, as the tillage required for these crops makes a 

 most excellent preparation. If corn is grown, the sowing of 18 pounds 

 of crimson and red clover seed per acre in equal parts on the last 

 cultivation will make an excellent cover crop, to be plowed in the 

 following spring. This will give good physical condition to the soil, and 

 aid in conserving moisture for the trees the first year after planting. 



Planting the Trees. 

 Trees two years of age should be selected from the nursery, either in 

 dwarfs or standards. At this age the trees have a good supply of 

 roots, which are not so much reduced in digging as in older trees, and 

 they will come into bearing as soon and sometimes sooner than older 

 trees, which, from the loss of roots, require one or two years to become 

 well started and established. The smaller trees cost less and may be 

 planted in much less time than the larger size. For orchard planting, 

 if of standard trees, 25 feet space should be allowed in each direction. 

 Plant the trees 3 to 4 inches deeper than they stood in the nursery. 

 Care should be taken to spread the roots well and have the earth well 

 packed over them. The roots should be cut back one-third, leaving 

 four branches well separated to form the tops of the trees. Where the 

 winters are mild autumn planting may be done. Where the winter 

 temperature reaches 20° below zero it is better to plant in the spring. 



