THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



113 



Mistake No. 2 is in the preparation 

 of the soil. No farmer would expect 

 a crop of grain or roots of any kind 

 without first preparing the ground for 

 it ; but thousands of them seem to 

 think this wholly unnecessaiy in plant- 

 ing trees, and they dig post holes in 

 the sod, or among wheat, or almost any- 

 whei-e, and stick them in and then per- 

 haps find fault with the nurseryman or 

 weather or something else because they 

 don't grow. 



Remedy. — Thoroughly drain, enrich 

 and pulverize the soil, and dig holes 

 large enough to straighten out all the 

 I'oots in their natural position. 



Mistake No. 3 is in selecting and 

 ordering trees and plants. Ordering 

 trees and plants from agents wJiom 

 they know nothing about, and varieties 

 that are not adapted to the climate and 

 soil, simply because the agent recom- 

 mends them and .shows some high-col- 

 ored beautiful picture of the fruit, has 

 been one of the greatest mistakes of 

 planters, and one that has cost them 

 dearly. One-half or more of the fruits 

 that have been thus recommended and 

 planted in the northern pai'ts of this 

 country have proved worse than use- 

 less ; they have not only failed, but 

 they have discouraged planters in put- 

 ing out others that are adapted to the 

 climate, and thus crippled one of the 

 best industries of the country. 



Remedy. — Become a member of the 

 Fruit Growers' Association, read their 

 Rej)oi'ts and the Canadian Horticulhir- 

 ist, and post yourself on the varieties 

 that do succeed in your locality, and 

 then order direct from some responsible 

 nurseryman, and don't accept any 

 variety you don't want because some- 

 body recommends it who has trees to 

 sell. 



Mistake No. 4 is in time of plant- 

 ing. Many have made the mistake of 



planting tender varieties of trees and 

 plants in the fall in exposed situations, 

 and they have been killed by frosts 

 before they have had a chance to grow. 

 Hardj^ vaiieties may be planted in the 

 fall in protected localities, or where 

 they will be covered with snow or some 

 artificial coveiing ; but as a rule spring 

 planting is preferable. vSome plant in 

 some particular time in the moon, and 

 often wait till dry weather comes in 

 the spring, and lose many of them in so 

 doing. 



Remedy. — Plant as early as possible 

 in the spring, and plant in the earth, 

 not in the moon or any other planet. 



Mistake No. 5 is in not properly 

 cultivating and caring for trees and 

 plants after they are planted. Who 

 would expect to have a hill of corn or 

 potatoes grow after they were planted 

 without hoeing or cultivating, or much 

 less if they sowed oats or other grain 

 between the rows i Yet this ' is the 

 way thousands of young trees are 

 treated. What gardener would look 

 for a crop of cabbage or celery by set- 

 ting ovxt the plants and then leaving 

 them to struggle with the weeds '? Yet 

 this is often the fate of small fruits. 

 Who would be silly enough to think of 

 pasturing a corn field and look for a 

 crop of corn 1 Yet thousands of young 

 trees are broken down annually by 

 horses and cattle. 



Remedy. — Cultivate your trees as 

 thoroughly as you would corn or pota- 

 toes, particularly when first planted. 

 Don't attempt to grow grain amongst 

 them. Take as much pains with a 

 strawberry as you would a celery plant, 

 cultivate a currant or gooseberry bush 

 as much as you would with a hill of 

 beans ; keep your horses and cattle in 

 the pasture or stable where they be- 

 long, and don't use them for pruning 

 purposes. 



February, 1885. 



