172 GIVE MORE ATTENTION TO FRUIT 



tion and make their orchards a source of pleasure and 

 profit. A little intelligent care will enable them to do so. 



It is the tendency of large farmers everywhere who 

 have their minds given up to grain or dairying to over- 

 look such matters as spraying their orchards, pruning, 

 mulching, etc. The small land owner does better with his 

 fruit. 



About sixty trees to the acre are sufficient. They 

 should be purchased from the nurseries when one or two 

 years old and placed in even rows on land that has been 

 thoroughly fitted for the purpose. Any fair quality of 

 loam will answer the requirements of an orchard, but, 

 if possible, the owner should select a piece of land that 

 has a clay subsoil, twelve to eighteen inches below the sur- 

 face. He should avoid gravelly land, because it does not 

 permit tree roots to obtain sufficient hold, and it carries 

 off the water too closely. It is necessary to plow in plenty 

 of barnyard fertilizer and cultivate thoroughly before 

 planting. 



It is feasible to use the orchard either for gardening or 

 the growing of common leguminous crops. This makes 

 the land pay something while the trees are maturing, and 

 is good for the soil. The rows of trees should be far 

 enough apart so that a team with plow or harrow may be 

 used. 



Therefore it is worth while in localities where horticul- 

 ture is not flourishing to make a more thorough test of 

 methods for guarding the fruit crop than has been made 

 by farmers generally. Twice in ten years, in some 

 regions, owners of orchards have lost apple and cherry 

 crops by freezing weather late in the spring. This is one 

 crop in five lost through unfavorable climatic conditions, 

 and it would be discouraging but for the facts that four 

 successful crops in five years make fruit highly profitable, 

 and that such losses are, to a great extent, preventable. 



The practical farmer will take steps to see that his trees 



