Orchard-Sites in the North- West. 289 



ORCHARD-SITES IN THE NORTH-WEST. 



The belief that fruit cannot be raised on the prairie regions of the 

 West is, happily, fast disappearing. Looking from the window at which 

 I write, over an orchard of forty acres already in profitable bearing, located 

 in the extreme northern part of Illinois, it is no difficult thing to say, that 

 fruit-growing may be set down as a success in this region. 



The many orchards that can be seen as one passes over the country, in 

 which three-fourths of the trees are already dead, and the majority of the 

 remainder in a dying condition, have done much to deter later settlers 

 from planting as largely as they otherwise would ; but each year gives 

 greater evidence, in the success of other orchards, that these failures were 

 the result of the ignorance and mistakes of the planters. 



A few hints are here given with regard to orchard-sites, in the hope that 

 they may be found useful. Scattered over our prairies are groves of tim- 

 ber of greater or less extent. These groves are generally found to be on 

 higher ground than the surrounding prairie, and on that account are, to 

 some extent, exempt from the frosts that are so destructive on the lower 

 grounds. The soil, also, differs from the surrounding prairie; being much 

 poorer in quality as a usual thing. The original growth of timber, when 

 cleared away, leaves a mass of decaying roots in the ground, which serve 

 for years as a natural under-drain. These reasons make these timbered 

 spots eminently desirable for orchard-sites. Other things being equal, the 

 higher the ground, the better. In an orchard planted by E. H. Skinner, 

 one of the pioneer fruit-growers of Northern Illinois, which is two hundred 

 feet above the level of the prairie, corn was not killed last fall until three 

 or four weeks after it was killed on the prairie; and the late spring frosts 

 are much lighter on this high ground. The poorer quality of soil is favor- 

 able, in that the wood is not stimulated to make a late fall growth, and is 

 thus well ripened, and prepared to endure the rigors of a severe winter. 



" Oak openings," as they are called, being sparsely covered with trees, 

 make good sites for orchards. 



On the open prairie, the high or "rolling" ground is considered best; 

 but with proper cultivation before planting, and judicious cultivation after, 



VOL. L 37 



