HARRISON'S NURSERIES. BERLIN, MD. 



Pruning. 



We recommend the greatest care and moderation in this operation, believing, as we do, that upon the 

 whole there is more injury done by the use of pruning instruments in unskillful hands than would result 

 from its entire neglect. Some of the objects sought are to diminish the thick growth, to increase the vigor 

 of the branches, to admit lii^ht and air, and to form a well- 

 shaped top. We are opposed to the too common practice of 



l»»«t«»«4« 



trimming up trees as high as a man's head, leaving a long, ; "From labor cometh rest." Nothing t 

 naked stem exposed to the ravages of insects and the delete- 1 worth the having is to be had for nothing, t 

 rious effects of sun and wind, as well as other sudden and ex- ; it may not seem work to keep up a good f 

 treme changes of the atmosphere. If a tree be allowed to 1 orchard, but it will bring itsown reward, t 



branch near the ground, its danger from these ills will be les- ♦»♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦ ♦ >>»»>» ♦; ' 



sened, and it will grow much stronger and faster, bear more 



fruit, which will be more easily gathered, less liable to be blown down, and we may add, better in every way. 

 If watched closely when young and growing, it will never become necessarj' to takeoff large limbs. Occasional 

 pinching or cropping off of the ends of the branches to give the tree the proper shape, and removing those that 



cross or crowd each other, will be all that will be needed by 



: ' * t most trees. Peach trees would be greatly benefitted by an 



I Prune fruit trees, as too large and too t annual shortening-in of the branches, say one-half of the pre- 

 l thick heads are lo be avoided. | vious year's growth ; this may be done at any time after the 



;<♦ »>♦♦,♦♦,«.,♦.«,♦♦,♦«♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦««.♦«♦♦<♦>»«; fall of the leaf until the buds commence swelling in the spring. 



Dwarf pears also need careful attention annually, to keep 

 them in shape, by cutting back theram.pant and straggling shoots: they should be pruned down instead of up, 

 never allowing them to grow high, or the top will become too heavy for the roots, aud increase the danger of 

 blowing do%vn. 



Cultivating. 



When the transplanting is finished, many persons are under the impression that their work is done, 

 and they can do nothing more for the tree. But this is a very mistaken idea. It is a very important matter 

 to have them well planted, but doubly important to have them well cultivated afterwards. Enveloped in 

 weeds and grass, what plant can flourish ? What farmer would think for an instant of raising a crop of Indian 

 com in the thick and tall grass of a meadow ? Such an idea he would at once say, would be preposterous. We 

 will say that is not more impossible than the idea of raising a thrifty orchard under the same treatment. It is 

 indispensably necessary that the ground should be well cultivated to obtain fine fruit. From the neglect of this 

 arises so much of the dissatisfaction of tree planters. Give to your trees for a few years a clean, mellow and 

 fertile soil, and they will bend under copious loads of fine fruit, and yield to the cultivator his reward. One 

 experiment only is enough to convince any one of the advantage of good culture. Dwarf pears, more than any 

 trees, require a deep rich soil and clean cultivation. In cultivating, great care should betaken not to injure the 

 trees by rubbing the bark off. The best crops for an orchard are those requiring summer culture— such as 

 potatoes, beans, etc. Winter crops are little better than no culture. Rye is decidedly injurious if left to seed. 



Treatment of Trees Coming to Hand out of Season. 



It sometimes happens that trees are received in a frosted state; but if they are properly managed they 

 will not be injured by it. I,et the package be put, unopened, in a cellar, or some such place — cool, but free 

 from frost — until it is perfectly thawed, when it can be unpacked, and either planted or placed in a trench 

 until convenient to plant. Trees received in the fall for spring planting should at once be unpacked, and a 

 trench dug in a rather dry, sheltered position, when the roots should be well covered. So treated, they will be 

 preserved without the least injury until spring, If they should come to hand late in the spring, and appear 

 much dried, plunge the bundle into a pool of water, there to _____,„_____ __^_.„.^^ ._._„_-.-.„^^„__.-._.^ 



remain for twenty-four hours, or more if very much wilted, t* •••••••••»•»••••••• tc . ...♦*ri.. .« i ».♦. ♦ 



After this it should be unpacked ; and the roots and half the t Trim and clean up the orchard, gather up i 

 stems should be buried in soil made quite wet by watering ; j the brush and burn it. Pick up the faulty J 

 there let them remain until the bark expands to its natural 1 fruit and burn or feed to swine. t 



fullness, when they may be taken up and planted as before ^♦.♦♦♦♦♦♦♦««»«»«»««t»»»««»4 ♦♦»♦♦♦»♦»♦«>♦♦♦» ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»? 

 directed, and we will guarantee you a good reward for your 

 labor. 



Distance for Planting. 



standard apples.__rl 30 feet each way 



Standard pears and strong groveing cherries 20 " 



Standard plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines 14 to 18 



Dwarf pears lU to 12 " " " 



Grapes rows 10 to 16 feet apart, 7 to 16 feet iii rows. 



Raspberries and blackberries 3 to 4 by 5 to 7 feet apart. 



Strawberries, for field culture 18 to 24 inches by 3 to 3i feet apart. 



Strawberries, for garden culture .._ 1 to 2 feet apart. 



Number of Trees to an Acre. 



30 feet apart each way. 



25 



435 



_. 684 



1,?10 



1,742 



2,723 



4.840 



Rule. — Multiply the distance in feet between the rows by the distance the plants are npart in the row;, and 



the product will be the number of square feet for each plant or hill, which, divided into the number of feet in 



an acre, 43,560, will give the number of trees in an acre. 



50 



10 feet 



apai 



t each way 



70 



8 







lie 



6 







135 



5 







205 



4 







300 



3 







A Word to the Farmers. 



Those farmers who have not had orchards of the leading kinds of fruit trees certainly are beh'nd the times, 

 and are every year losing chances of making farming not only a profitable, but also a pleasant occupation. Every 

 farmer has experienced the feeling that he is doing the same thing day after day, year in and year out. He has 

 to wait until winter before he receives pay for his labor. The farmers need to revolutionize this. They must 

 attend more to fruit culture. It has many things to commend it. It breaks the monotony of humdrum farm 

 life; if properly managed, it makes an income for the farmer the year round. 



