1S8 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



ashes and 1.000 of tankage, or 500 of guano per acre; this 

 dressing is apphed with a fertihzer spreader, which insures an 

 even distribution. The ground is then gone over with a 

 smoothing harrow to thoroughly mix the fertihzer with the 

 soil. After this a Meeker harrow, which we consider one of 

 the best implements ever make for a farmer, is run over the 

 ground and we are ready to set plants. 



Generally one lot of men is digging plants while another is 

 getting the ground ready, so that there will be no delay to allow 

 the grc^und to dry up. If the ground is moist and the weather 

 favorable, we dig plants in the usual way with a hook, packing 

 them in boxes witli alternate layers of soil to keep the root 

 fresh. The field to be planted is marked out in rows four feet 

 wide with a three-row marker. The first row is made straight 

 with a garden line and the other rows are made by it. For 

 fruiting beds four rows, of an imperfect variety are set to two 

 rows of a strong perfect variety. We find that the imperfect 

 varieties yield more fruit than the perfect ones when properly 

 polenized. W^ith same \arieties like Glen Alary, which is 

 classed as perfect, we should plant even rows, four of each, as 

 Glen Mary has both perfect and imperfect flowers. The plants 

 are taken from tlie boxes, the root shortened one-half with 

 shears, all surplus foliage removed and then the roots are 

 dipped in a mixture of clay and water. One man drops the 

 plants for two who are setting them out, each taking one row. 

 Masons' trowels are used, as they make a straight cut to set 

 the plant against. One thing we have to look out for and cor- 

 rect more than any other is the tendency of the setter to double 

 the roots up instead of setting them straight down as nature 

 intended they should be. The crown of the plants is set on a 

 level with the surface of the soil and the earth firmly pressed 

 about it. 



If the weather is hot and the gnmnd dry plants are taken 

 from the plant l)e(ls with all the soil tliat will stick to them and 

 set in the permanent beds. While this is a much slower method 

 it is absolutelv sure and the plant receives no check. This 

 same method is used in summer planting, provided we have a 

 large suppl}' of plants to draw from. After the beds are set 

 thev are gone over at the end of three or four da_\-s with a 



