262 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



above are set sixteen feet apart, in rows thirty -two feet apart, running 

 north and south, which will admit of thinning one-half if found de- 

 sirable. 



The location of these orchards is upland-prairie of average fertility, 

 the subsoil being a red clay containing considerable sand. Mr. Well- 

 house advises cultivating the land to corn till the trees come into bear- 

 ing, after which he would seed to red clover. Stock should be kept 

 from the orchard, especially hogs, as their tramping packs the ground, 

 and by rubbing and rooting about the trees they do a great deal of 

 damage. The clover crop is not removed from the orchard, but with 

 a long machine resembling a stalk-cutter, but with smaller diameter, 

 the weeds and clover are cut and allowed to remain on the ground, 

 the object being to secure a loose, mellow soil among the trees, re- 

 sembling a forest-bed as much as possible. Spraying with London 

 purple in the proportion of one pound to 100 gallons of water was 

 tried last year to destroy the codling moth. A part of the orchard 

 was sprayed twice and the rest three times; but the third application 

 seemed to scald some of the leaves without being of any benefit. 



Mr. Wellhouse has discarded, as useless for his purpose, all the 

 spraying machines and nozzles upon the market, and he uses a tank 

 fifteen inches deep, three and a half feet wide, and four and a half feet 

 long, slung between the wheels of a wagon. Upon this is mounted a 

 common rotary pump, operated by means of a sprocket-wheel and 

 chain from one of the hind wheels. This gives a positive action, 

 starting the spray the instant the wheels starts and stopping it as 

 quickly, avoiding the unpleasant waste and drip occasioned by the 

 pressure from the air-chamber of the force-pump. The nozzle finally 

 adopted is one of their own construction, having a fine slit in the cast- 

 ing resembling a gas-burner. This gives a broad, fan-like spray, and 

 enables the operator to cover one side of the row of trees in driving 

 by, at the same time managing the team. Ponds for collecting sur- 

 face water to be used in spraying are constructed at convenient dis- 

 tances by damming ravines or draws. A man and team spray 

 160 acres in about five days. Adding to this the cost of poison and 

 it brings the cost of spraying once to about fifteen cents per acre. 



Everything in connection with the enterprise is reduced to the most 

 careful system, and an accurate account has been kept of all expenses 

 and receipts since the planting of the orchard. The actual yield of so 



