Fs) FRUIT GROWING FOR HOME USE IN THE GREAT PLAINS. 
By taking advantage of such conditions as these with regard to 
sites it is often possible to make results reasonably certain where 
otherwise there would be much risk. 
PREPARING THE LAND FOR PLANTING. 
Generally speaking, the primary aim should be to so manage the 
soul that it will contain the greatest quantity of moisture possible 
when the trees and other plants are set out. This is for the purpose 
of insuring a sufficient supply to enable them to start into vigorous 
growth at once. . 
So far as possible, the preparation of the land for planting fruits 
should be begun two years before they are to be set out. A course 
suggested in the present connection by one of much experience in the 
Great Plains is as follows: 
The first step should be to thoroughly prepare the land for a crop 
of corn, potatoes, beans, or some other cultivated crop. Sorghum, 
however, should not be used in this connection, as it is likely to take 
too much moisture from the soil. 
This preparation should consist of deep plowing; that is, to a 
depth of 8 to 10 inches. Then thorough cultivation should be given 
before planting the crop, followed by frequent and thorough tillage 
throughout the season. This treatment under fairly favorable con- 
ditions should result in a good crop, and will also aid in keeping the 
soil in that condition which best permits deep plowing in late summer 
or early fall. During the next season the land should be thoroughly 
summer fallowed to conserve in the soil to the fullest extent possible 
the rain that falls during the warm season. ‘This treatment consists 
of disking or harrowing every few days. By this means vegetation 
of all kinds will be kept down and a good surface mulch maintained. 
If the soil is heavy or becomes very compact below the surface 
mulch during the summer fallowing, it should be plowed again in the 
fall before the planting, which should be done in the spring. 
A practice that has given good success at the time of this plowing, 
or during the fall if late plowing is omitted, is to lay the ground off in 
narrow lands so that there will be a dead furrow where each row of 
trees is to stand. These furrows serve to hold rain that might other- 
wise be lost. It is a good plan, after these dead furrows have been 
made, to open them still deeper by plowing as deeply as possible. The 
soil should then be harrowed thoroughly and compacted. 
To sum up the foregoing suggestions, the best preparation of the 
soil for fruit trees consists— 
FIRST SEASON. 
(1) In thorough preparation for a cultivated crop, such as corn and potatoes. 
(2) In thorough cultivation of the crop throughout the season. 
(3) In deep fall plowing after the crop is harvested. 
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