PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB, 2tl 



" I visited, not long since, the successful orchard of 75 acres 

 owned by Mr. James Wakeman, of Cottage Hill, Du Page county. 

 One of the leading features of this orchard is, that the trees 

 have the appearance of being planted on ridges, which has been 

 caused by annually plowing towards the trees. He commences 

 to plow next the tree first, which leaves a deep furrow in the 

 center between the rows, which acts as a partial drain — a very 

 efficient surface drain in winter. For when the snow thawed by 

 the influence of the sun, the ground being frozen, it runs into the 

 hollows. It cannot penetrate the soil. If the slope is completed 

 to the dead furrow, it goes there. But if there is a hollow imme- 

 diately about the body of the tree, water flows there. I have 

 seen it stated recently that the expansion or lifting power of ice 

 is nearly equal to twice the lifting power of gunpowder. Hence 

 the effect of a body of ice immediately about the body of a tree — 

 hence, too, the importance and benefits of banking up with earth 

 in the fall, immediately about it. I have had trees destroyed in 

 this manner by ice forming about the collar. I have seen hardy 

 grapes ruined in the same way. Scores of trees, whose bodies 

 are otherwise protected by the sun, are killed at the collar by 

 this lifting ice. It is a good plan, I think, to bank up about 

 trees in the fall, and especially to plow orchards as above 

 described." 



It is a good plan — there is no doubt of it — to plow every 

 orchard upon retenive soil, in the manner indicated ; and the 

 advice, like the almanac, is suited to all places in this latitude. 



Dr. Trimble. — I have had some experience in winter killing 

 trees. In one case the roots were protected by snow upon un- 

 frozen earth, so that the ground is not below 40^^, w^hile the tem- 

 perature of the tops was 15*^ below zero. 



Andrew S. Fuller. — There is not one acre in a thousand- at the 

 West that will grow fruit trees well without under-draining. I 

 succeeded there in growing good pears, by setting the trees on 

 ridges upon a well-drained soil. He thought water the greatest 

 trouble about fruit trees on the prairies. 



FALL PLANTING TREES. 



Upon this question Mr. Andrew S. Fuller made the following 

 remarks : 



That we have made progress in fruit culture cannot be for one 

 but whether we have progressed as rapidly as 



