RODING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



most favorable. By all means plow and harrow the 

 land just before planting. 



Drainage should be given consideration, particularly 

 if the land is low and liable to have water stand too 

 closely to the surface during the spring and summer 

 months. In California, where, as a rule, there is no 

 substrata of clay, tile drains are the best. In soils 

 where there are stratas of hardpan with intervening 

 spaces of soil between, it becomes necessary to lay the 

 tile on redwood boards which are grooved out to hold 

 the tile in place. Should this not be done in soils of this 

 character, when there is a superabundance of water 

 in the ground it becomes a loblolly and the tile sinks 

 out of place. It is necessary to have sump boxes (not 

 less than five hundred feet apart) made out of two-inch 

 redwood boards, to take care of the deposits of silt and 

 sand from the drain pipe. If made of cement, they 

 should not be less than three feet in diameter, the red- 

 wood boxes should be three and one-half feet square. 

 The bottom of the sump should be at least two feet 

 below the pipe. Where the pipe line is within three to 

 four feet of the surface of the ground and is laid to 

 within twenty-five to thirty feet of the trees or vines, 

 it is necessary to clean this pipe line out frequently dur- 

 ing the summer months. A steel brush will have to be 

 dragged through it to remove the roots, which are sure 

 to enter between the sections of drain tile. The brush 

 also stirs up the silt, which will invariably collect in the 

 bottom of the pipe. The practical way to handle this 

 is to keep a No. 8 galvanized wire in the drain at all 

 times. When the cleaning operation is to be carried 

 out this wire is used to draw a three-eighths inch woven 

 wire cable through the drain. To this is attached the 

 steel brush. A windlass is placed in the next box and 

 the brush is drawn through. There should be a swivel 

 on each end of the brush. It is necessary to attach the 

 galvanized wire to the brush to pull it back, as it may 

 be necessary to repeat the operation of drawing it 

 through several times before the drain is clean. 



SELECTING NURSERY STOCK 



One point should never be forgotten in purchasing 

 trees, and that is, that as far as appearances go one tree 

 may apparently be as good as another. A little thought 

 on the part of the purchaser will convince him that, 

 although nursery stock may be classed as merchandise 

 in the ordinary sense of the word, there are many im- 

 portant factors that may mean the ultimate success or 

 failure to the planter in his undertaking. California 

 soils demand a variety of roots. To plant a prune on 

 peach root, on soil which might be very wet during the 

 greater part of the year, would mean the loss of the tree 

 most likely just as soon as it came into bearing. The 

 selecting of buds from the trees producing the very 

 best quality of fruit and which are vigorous and healthy, 

 should never be lost sight of. There are some stocks 

 which may be apparently all right so far as growth goes, 

 but which will die just about the time the orchard comes 

 into its prime. This is very noticeable where any va- 

 riety of citrus tree is budded on the lemon root. The 

 tree dies without any apparent reason. It is a well- 

 known fact among experienced nurserymen that the 



lemon should never be used as a stock owing to its 

 tendency to do this. A conscientious nurseryman fully 

 realizes the responsibility resting on his shoulders and 

 if he is going to fulfill his duties to the purchaser of his 

 goods, he is going to strain every point to have them as 

 represented. It is very easy to practise a deception, 

 because it takes three years for the buyer to learn 

 whether or not the trees delivered to him are true to 

 name. Therefore, be as careful in the selecting of a 

 nurseryman as you would be your physician. The per- 

 sonality and reliability of the firm with which you 

 are dealing should never be overlooked when buying 

 trees. The firm that never relaxes its attention to every 

 detail, from the planting of the seed to the time the 

 trees are properly packed and shipped, is the one to 

 favor with your business. 



TIME TO PLANT 



Fall planting is never desirable in California, because 

 the growing season often extends into the month of 

 November. It rarely occurs that frosts are severe 

 enough toward the latter part of the month to check 

 the growth. The roots of trees dug before they have 

 fully matured turn black, and the tree either starts 

 very slowly in the spring or does not grow at all. The 

 best time to set deciduous trees is from January to 

 April 1st. All evergreen fruit trees should be planted 

 from February to May 1st, although in many localities, 

 particularly sections of the state where the summer 

 climate is cool, planting may be continued later than 

 this. 



A safe rule to follow is to plant deciduous trees when 

 dormant and those which are classed as evergreens as 

 soon as the sap commences to rise in the spring. 



TREATMENT WHEN RECEIVED 

 The trees when received at point of destination should 

 be immediately unpacked and the roots laid in a trench 

 and well covered with soil, which should then be 

 thoroughly wet down. If delayed in transit, thereby 

 becoming dry and suffering from exposure (the bark 

 showing signs of shriveling), it is a good plan to immerse 

 the trees in a tank overnight and the following day 

 bury root and top completely in damp soil for a few 

 days until they become normal, when they may be with 

 safety planted out. Should trees be frozen while in 

 transit, place the package in a cellar or some other place 

 free from frost until thawed out, when they can be un- 

 packed and heeled in, preparatory to planting. Trees 

 treated in this manner will not be injured by having 

 been frozen. 



It is quite practicable to ship trees when dormant to 

 other localities where the weather or seasonable con- 

 ditions might not make it advisable to plant on arrival. 

 When the trees are received, place them in cold storage. 

 The temperature should be maintained at from 32 to 

 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The shipment should be exam- 

 ined and if found to be in good condition, the contents 

 should remain undisturbed in the case or bale until the 

 time for planting arrives. This method of handling 

 trees is thoroughly practicable, so much so that 

 it is possible to ship trees to the antipodes during 



