APPLES 
may grow evenly and rapidly trom the 
very start. 
Cereal Crops as Indices 
The cereal crops such as wheat and 
oats serve admirably as indices for bring- 
ing out these inequalities. Immediately 
preceding the planting of the orchard a 
crop that requires thorough cultivation, 
such as potatoes, is highly beneficial in 
putting the finishing touches upon this 
preparatory cropping system. 
J. R. SHINN, 
Moscow, Idaho. 
THE NURSERY 
Growing Apple Seedlings 
The seeds for the growing of ‘apple 
seedlings’ are generally taken from the 
cider mill. Those who prepare them 
commercially, wash them out of the po- 
mace, store them in a@ damp place, and, 
just before shipping, dry them so that 
they will not mould. If they are to be 
planted in a large way and drills used 
for the purpose then the seeds must 
be dried in order that they may drop 
evenly. Very often the seed is planted 
with the pomace, and this, for the ordi- 
nary grower not too far from the cider 
mill, is probably the best way. 
Germination 
There is one peculiarity of apple seeds 
that must be met when considering the 
question of planting. It is that they do 
not readily germinate if planted in the 
spring without having been soaked in 
warm water or frozen. There is a kind 
of hard substance encasing the seed hull 
that must be broken or rotted before 
the germ will grow. This may be done 
by soaking in water from 12 to 20 days; 
or it may be done by freezing. 
Method of Planting 
A good way to plant is to sow in drills, 
the rows about two feet apart, with the 
seed lightly covered so that they will 
freeze during the winter. If the seed 
is frozen it will come up with the ap- 
proach of warm weather in the spring. 
If it is not frozen it will not come up 
until the following spring. Another 
method is to put the seed out on the 
ground in a pile and keep it damp, so 
that when the freezes of winter come it 
119 
will be prepared for germination. When 
it is ready for planting it germinates and 
grows much like other crops and needs 
substantially the same care 
Soil 
The soil should be a deep rich loam, 
because in such a soil there will grow 
good large roots on which to graft. The 
land should be plowed deeply and well 
pulverized. 
Amount of Seed 
There is considerable difference of opin- 
ion as to the amount of seed required 
with which to plant an acre and planters 
advise anywhere from one to three 
bushels. 
Cultiy ation 
With the rows two feet apart a small 
cultivator can be run between them, or a 
larger one can be so arranged as to culti- 
vate two to four rows at one time. The 
cultivation should be thoroughly done; 
for a little delay will sometimes allow 
the weeds to get the start of the plants, 
and that causes a great amount of extra 
work. 
Mow the Tops 
In the autumn when the plants are 
gathered in they should be cut off with 
a seythe or mower near the ground, or 
at any rate not more than nine inches 
high, since this lessens the weight and 
bulk of the materials handled and can 
be done with much less labor than by 
any other method of cutting. 
Harvesting 
When this is done the plants are ready 
to be removed. One of the best methods 
of doing this work is to run a furrow 
on either side of the row, a second plow, 
made especially for the purpose, cutting 
under the trees, and leaving them stand- 
ing in the row. Then the plants can be 
easily pulled and placed in bunches. 
These bunches are tied and buried in 
trenches or beds until the leaves are loos- 
ened and will drop. From these beds 
they are taken to the counting room 
where they are graded and counted, 
either 100 or 200 in a bunch, when they 
are planted out in the nursery rows from 
which the apple trees in the nursery 
come. 
GRANVILLE LOWTHER 
