37 



As to amounts of seed per acre of the different crops sug- 

 gested the following will be found right for ordinary con- 

 ditions : — 



Buckwheat, . 1 bushel. 



Barley, 1| bushels. 



Soy beans, 1| bushels broadcast; 5 bushel in drills. 



Summer vetch, IJ bushels broadcast; 1 bushel m drills. 



Winter vetch, . . 1 bushel broadcast; 5 bushel in drills. 



The principal objection to the vetches is the cost of seed, 

 and they are probably best used in the mixtures above sug- 

 gested. 



Lastly there is the question of top-grafting the trees. I 

 have already said that I should consider the necessity of 

 this a strong factor against the orchard, for it requires con- 

 siderable time, two to four years, and not a little expense, 

 to work over the trees into other varieties. But it frequently 

 happens that odd trees in an orchard are of unsatisfactory 

 varieties, and it is sometimes worth while to graft over an 

 entire orchard where the trees are relatively young and other- 

 wise in good condition. Where this is to be done I believe 

 it is generally advisable to employ an expert grafter if one 

 can be found in the neighborhood; or, if the orchard is of 

 sufficient size to warrant it, a professional grafter can be 

 secured from a distance. In either case it is better business, 

 and more satisfactory generally, to pay by the stub, and to 

 have the grafter guarantee the scions to live. Of course in 

 such a case one must have confidence enough in the man to 

 insure that he will not put in grafts needlessly, but after all 

 it is better to have too many grafts than not enough, and 

 with a little knowledge and supervision on the part of the 

 owner there is usually little difficulty on this score. If the 

 owner is situated so that he can do so I should strongly 

 advise his furnishing the scions himself, and too great care 

 cannot be exercised in selecting them. They ought to be taken 

 from bearing trees, and they should be thoroughly well matured 

 and not too long-jointed. Let them be selected while the 

 trees are still dormant, and stored in moist soil or sawdust in 

 the coolest possible place; if an ice house is available so much 

 the better. 



