42 



THE OEANGE; 



split,) and if marketed the returns are 

 sullicient to pay quite handsomely above 

 the cost of clearing. 



Cactus Land.— I have said that the 

 mesas are more diflicult to clear than the 

 vallej's; but I should except those low- 

 land localities which are covered with 

 cactus. This pestiferous growth, known 

 by the Mexican name ''Tune, is a succes- 

 sion of green, pulpy leaves, one growing 

 atop of the other, and all covered with 

 little bunches of thorns like cambric 

 needles. The best way to get them ofFtlie 

 ground is to tie a long- rope around a 

 clump and drag it away with horses. 

 Taken in detail, it is chopped in pieces 

 with an axe and handled with a pitchfork. 

 The ^ tunes are too green to burn, and must 

 be hauled to some out-of-the-way place. 

 In time a part will dry up or decay, and a 

 part will take root and grow again if not 

 chopped up a second time. Cactus land 

 has the reputation of being strong, and it 

 is generally mellow and well suited to 

 trees and vines. 



Time to Begix Clearixg.— Some val- 

 ley land requires no clearing whatever, 

 but is ready for the breaking plow at any 

 time when sufficiently moist. It is a good 

 plan to begin clearing land in the latter 

 part of summer or early fall, so that it 

 may be ready for the plow as soon as the 

 first winter rains soften the ground. The 



time allowed for clearing inaj^ be short 

 or long according to the acreage and the 

 force employed, but.of one thing you may 

 be certain: it is likely to prove a harder 

 and longer job than you calculate. There- 

 fore, begin early, and allow ample lee-way 

 in your plans. 



Clearing away Rocks. — If yon have 

 been so unfortunate as to select a rocky 

 piece, of ground, there is nothing for it but 

 to dig the rocks out and haul them away; 

 then plow and dig and haul again, and in 

 the course of a year or two, with semi-an- 

 nual gatherings, your place may be rea- 

 sonably clear. With rock^^ land, allow 

 twice or thrice the time required for clear- 

 ing chapparal. 



Plowing.— As soon as possible after the 

 first penetrating rains have fallen, start 

 the plow, and give your land a thorough 

 breaking up. The plow should penetrate 

 at least twelve inches. Then, if circum- 

 stances allow, let the piece remain a 

 month or more to air-slack and pulverize, 

 after which, cross-plow and harrow thor- 

 oughly. It is imi^ortant that the first 

 plowing be done early, so that the land 

 may be in condition to absorb the winter 

 rains. The closer the last plowing ap- 

 proximates the planting, the better, as the 

 soil is thus lefc in a mellow condition to 

 receive the trees. 



CHAPTER VII. 



SELECTING TREES. 



Commence Early.— The clearing and 

 breaking disposed of, you will begin to 

 breathe more freely, and it is then a good 

 time to think about trees. The sooner 

 you are in the market the better selection 

 you will make. No harm is done by 

 looking over the nurseries thoroughly 

 before coming to a conclusion. 



Get tup: Best.— I would remind you 

 of the advice given in a former chapter, 

 to procure only the best trees of the best 

 varieties. By this I do not mean always 

 the most expensive trees. A nurseryman 

 may have six or seven year old slock, 



which he recommends highlj^ and with 

 apparent reason ; and yet it might be a 

 doubtful speculation for you to pay the 

 fancy i^rice he demands. Better buy 

 younger trees of equal thrift and earn the 

 extra dollar or two per tree by growing 

 them yourself. 



The Kind to Select.— A tree which 

 is two years old in its budded growth, and 

 four years old in its stO(;k, and which is 

 healthy and vigorous, standing from five 

 to seven feet high, may be accounted first 

 class. If you can obtain such, take no 

 others. The health of a tree is best in- 



