146 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



his trees before they leave the nursery. The first year there is very 

 little pruning to be done ; the second spring we rub off the buds and 

 form the head from sixteen to twenty inches above the ground. I 

 don't prune higher than where the head begins to form except to 

 balance the head or to cut out a branch that is likely to make a 

 fork. 



We cover our raspberry tips between the 25th of August and the 

 1st of September, and always have good strong roots. 



I am just beginning to learn how to grow forest tree seedlings. In 

 this part of the state box-elder and ash are the principal trees grown 

 and planted on timber claims. Until this season I have planted on 

 old ground and have lost a good many thousand every spring just as 

 they were coming up, by being covered by the soil washing over them, 

 even on ground so near level that one would think there would be no 

 danger of loss in this respect. This year I have planted on new 

 ground prepared as follows : Broke about three inches deep, in June ; 

 back-set two inches deeper, in August; then dragged until it was 

 smooth; plowed about one inch deeper, in October; then we used a 

 disk pulverizer one day to the acre. In this way new ground can be 

 put in splendid condition, and I am satisfied that new land prepared 

 in this way and seed sown in the fall will give better results than 

 when planted on old ground. 



I have not had satisfactory results growing grape vines from cut- 

 tings. We have no trouble in making them grow after they are 

 rooted. We can buy good vines for less money than it costs to grow 

 them here. 



I plant currant and gooseberry cuttings in the fall. I have them 

 planted deep enough to be all out of sight. We mulch the rows with 

 stable litter in December and rake off before they sprout in spring. 



Success in fruit growing depends largely upon whether the nursery- 

 man furnishes the proper varieties. Many times we have to use all 

 our persuasive powers to convince some of our patrons that they can- 

 not grow all the varieties of apples or other fruits here that they did 

 in New York or Kentucky. We must inform ourselves just as fast 

 as possible what varieties are the best adapted to the locality where 

 they are to be planted. I am satisfied that not one-third of the fruit 

 trees sold in this district is adapted to this locality. Very often pur- 

 chasers do not know what they should plant, and traveling salesmen 



