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OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



to hit the early market, a location for this purpose will not be suitable 

 for main crop or late-keeping apples, and vice versa. Get as near cheap 

 transportation facilities as possible, and don't plant your orchard too 

 near the village school: young America has a passion for green colic. 

 See that the soil suits the variety or varieties you fancy, and that the rain- 

 fall record of dry years in the past warrants your planting at all in that 

 particular locality. See that the elements of fertility abound in your 

 soil, by having thorough analyses made by competent chemists; or take 

 the credentials the past harvests have given to that soil; but don't think 

 any old soil is good enough for fruit trees. Don't decide in haste and 

 repent at leisure. Don't swallow all the first land-shark tells you. 

 Consult Wickson's "California Fruits," as to what localities are best for 

 certain varieties. 



P No. 3 is Plowing. All I can say is plow as deep as you can, then 

 just a little deeper. Remember it is your last chance for unobstructed 

 plowing of all your ground. 



Planting. — As to distance, 30 feet is not a bit too far. I have some 

 trees 15 x 30 feet, and three trees so set will not give as much fruit as 

 one 30 x 30. I usually prefer yearling trees, and cut them back to 20 

 or 24 inches above ground. Early in the season, say mid-January, is 

 the time I find best for planting in normal seasons. Should the season 

 prove dry, give twenty pails of water to each tree soon after setting, 

 and once or twice thereafter as occasion dictates. As to varieties, stick 

 to staple goods that the market calls for. Spitzenbergs usually sell 

 best; Newtown Pippins are a world-staple, and Bellflowers are in 

 immense demand in America. White Winter Pearmains bear early and 

 heavily, but price is not so good. Red Astrachan is a good early variety 

 for near markets, but if left to get near ripe soon blackens in transit. 

 Gravenstein is a first-class shipper and probably the best all around 

 second early, if you can find a locality to suit it; it sells well. 



Pollination demands that you should not plant solid blocks of single 

 varieties, but that every third or fourth row should be of a different 

 variety, that cross-fertilization, which is said to produce better and 

 larger fruit, should be easily effected. This subject is fully explained 

 in the Agricultural Yearbook for 1898, which you can obtain from your 

 Congressman at Washington, and it would take too long to detail here. 

 Lack of attention to this subject sometimes results in lack of crop. 



Pruning varies as varieties vary. The growth of a Yellow Newtown 

 Pippin tree and a Bellflower tree obviously demands entirely different 

 treatment. I am a believer in low heads for the following reasons: 

 The tree does not waste its strength in supporting a huge trunk. The 

 wind has less leverage on a head near the ground than on a head 



