APPLES 



119 



may grow evenly and rapidly from the 

 very start. 



Cereal Crops as Iiidiees 

 The cereal crops such as wheat and 

 oats serve admirably as indices for bring- 

 ing out these inequalities. Immediately 

 preceding the planting of the orchard a 

 crop that requires thorough cultivation, 

 such as potatoes, is highly beneficial in 

 putting the finishing touches upon this 

 preparatory cropping system. 



J. R. SiiiXN. 

 Moscow, Idaho. 



THE MIRSERY 



GrowiiifT Apple Seedlings 



The seeds for the growing of "apple 

 seedlings" are generally taken from the 

 cider mill. Those who prepare them 

 commercially, wash them out of the po- 

 mace, store them in a damp place, and, 

 just before shipping, dry them so that 

 they will not mould. If they are to be 

 planted in a large way and drills used 

 for the purpose then the seeds must 

 he dried in order that they may drop 

 evenly. Very often the seed is planted 

 with the pomace, and this, for the ordi- 

 nary grower not too far from the cider 

 mill, is probably the best way. 



Geriiiiiiation 



There is one peculiarity of apple seeds 

 that must be met when considering the 

 question of planting. It is that they do 

 not readily germinate it planted in the 

 spring without having been soaked in 

 warm water or frozen. There is a kind 

 of hard substance encasing the seed hull 

 that must be broken or rotted before 

 the germ will grow. This may be done 

 by soaking in water from 12 to 20 days; 

 or it may be done by freezing. 



Method of Planting 



A good way to plant is to sow in drills, 

 the rows about two feet apart, with the 

 seed lightly covered so that they will 

 freeze during the winter. If the seed 

 is frozen it will come up with the ap- 

 proach of warm weather in the spring. 

 If It is not frozen it will not come up 

 until the following spring. Another 

 method is to put the seed out on the 

 ground in a pile and keep it damp, so 

 that when the freezes of winter come it 



will be prepared for germination. When 

 it is ready for planting it germinates and 

 grows much like other crops and needs 

 substantially the same care. 



Soil 



The soil should be a deep rich loam, 

 because in such a soil there will grow 

 good large roots on which to graft. The 

 land should be plowed deeply and well 

 pulverized. 



.Vniount of Seed 



There is considerable difference of opin- 

 ion as to the amount of seed required 

 with which to plant an acre and planters 

 advise anywhere from one to three 

 bushels. 



Cultivation 



With the rows two feet apart a small 

 cultivator can be run between them, or a 

 larger one can be so arranged as to culti- 

 vate two to tour rows at one time. The 

 cultivation should be thoroughly done; 

 for a little delay will sometimes allow 

 the weeds to get the start of the plants, 

 and that causes a great amount of extra 

 work. 



Mow the Tops 



In the autumn when the plants are 

 gathered in they should be cut off with 

 a scythe or mower near the ground, or 

 at any rate not more than nine inches 

 high, since this lessens the weight and 

 bulk of the materials handled and can 

 be done with much less labor than by 

 any other method of cutting. 



Harvesting 



When this is done the plants are ready 

 to be removed. One of the best methods 

 of doing this work is to run a furrow 

 on either side of the row, a second plow, 

 made especially for the purpose, cutting 

 under the trees, and leaving them stand- 

 ing in the row. Then the plants can be 

 easily pulled and placed in bunches. 

 These bunches are tied and buried in 

 trenches or beds until the leaves are loos- 

 ened and will drop. From these beds 

 they are taken to the counting room 

 where they are graded and counted, 

 either 100 or 200 in a bunch, when they 

 are planted out in the nursery rows from 

 which the apple trees in the nursery 

 come. 



GR.'iNVILLE LOWTHER 



