10 



HARRISONS' NURSERIES, BERLIN, MARYLAND 



Peach tree on the left, two-year apple tree in the middle 

 and one-year apple tree at the right 



3 by 6 to 5 by 8 feet; and blackberries from 4 by 7 

 to 6 by 9 feet. 



Fillers. If you think 3 r ou will not use your trees 

 right while they are growing, or that you will lack 

 the determination to cut out the nicely bearing 

 fillers when they are about twelve years old, do not 

 plant fillers, for these things must be done. But 

 no business farmer will ' 

 think of going to the 

 expense of growing a first- 

 class apple or pear orchard 

 Avithout planting early- 

 bearing sorts of these 

 same fruits, or of peaches 

 or strawberries, between 

 his permanent trees. To 

 use fillers makes the or- 

 chard a paying investment 

 in a few years. (See 

 planting diagrams.) 



Pruning Peach Trees 

 After Planting. All 

 peach trees are one year 

 old from bud, and when 

 set in the fall all bruised 

 roots should be removed; 

 but we prefer leaving the 

 limbs and top on the tree until spring. When 

 growth starts, prune the peach trees to a whip, and 

 cut them back to whatever height you desire your 

 trees headed. We prefer heads not higher than 18 

 inches. In one of our orchards the trees are headed 

 at 12 inches. (See illustrations.) 



Pruning One-year Apple Trees After Plant- 

 ing. Prune off all bruised roots with a smooth cut 

 on a slant that leaves the face down. Leave on all 

 the limbs until spring, and when growth starts, if 

 the tree is a whip, simply cut it off at the height 

 which you desire the head to be. We would prefer 

 this to be not more than 18 inches from the ground. 

 If the tree is more or less branched, and the head 

 already formed, prune the side branches with regard 

 to the frame of the future head, leaving sticks 4 to 

 6 inches in length and cut off the top. The total 

 height should be about 18 inches. We do not 

 advise pruning the branches or cutting back the 

 top until spring, for best success. (See illustra- 

 tions.) 



Pruning Two-year Apple, Pear and Cherry 

 Trees After Planting. With two-year apple trees, 

 especially of first grade, the shape of the tree usualh" 

 has been fixed by the nurseryman, but it is necessary 

 in planting to remove all bruised roots with a 

 smooth, slicing cut. No trimming of the tops should 



When the hole is half hlled 

 can be applied, but 



be done in the fall, but in early spring you can 

 round up the branches as they ought to be to 

 develop into a well-balanced head. Our plan is to 

 prune off the side branches within from 4 to 6 

 inches of the trunk, and cut the top out about 12 

 inches above these side branches. If the tree has a 

 well-defined center leader, it then will put out a 

 second story of limbs, and in this way get more 

 fruit-bearing wood. The pruning of pear and 

 cherry trees is about the same as for a two-year 

 apple. (See illustrations.) 



Cultivation of Orchards. Cultivation keeps 

 the trees supplied with available plant-food and 

 saves moisture. Young orchards of any kind always 

 should be cultivated clean, from early spring until 

 in July. Plow or tear up the soil as soon as ground 

 is dry enough to work, narrow after every rain, and 

 every week or ten days until it is time to sow the 

 cover-crop, or mulch for winter. Keep them hustling. 

 Cover-Crops. A cover-crop should be sown in 

 the latter part of the summer, when trees have made 

 their growth for the year, and when both fruit and 

 trees have begun to ripen. Cover-crops hold the 

 soil together and keep it from leaching out and 

 gullying, and also newly 

 sown plants take up water 

 in great amounts and take 

 it away from the trees. 

 This is the thing desired 

 at this time, for tree- 

 growth needs a check 

 then. But, still better, 

 young plants require a 

 great deal of nitrogen, but 

 comparatively less potash 

 and phosphorus. As the 

 cover-crop grows, it feeds 

 largely on the nitrogen, 

 leaving much potash and 

 phosphorus for the trees, 

 just when they need them 

 most. Vetch, rye and the 

 clovers make excellent 

 cover-crops. 



If the crop is of a kind not killed by the winter, 

 it will grow up very rank in the spring and should 

 be plowed under early — about as soon as the ground 

 is fit to work — or it will rob the trees of water 

 and food, and do much more damage than it does 

 good. Plowed under it will benefit the soil. 



in, a pound oj bone j 

 this is not a necessity 



How the three trees shown in the upper picture should 

 be pruned in the spring after planting. Note that the peach 

 and one-year apple are headed about 15 inches high, and 

 the two-year apple is shaped for best future head. 



"HOW TO GROW AND MARKET FRUIT" IS A BOOK OF REAL VALUE 



