HARRISONS' NURSERIES, BERLIN, MARYLAND 



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

 and one-year apple tree at the right 



bruised roots with a smooth, slicing cut. No trim- 

 ming of the tops should 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 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 the ground is dry enough to work, harrow 

 after every rain and every week or ten days until 

 it is time to sow the cover-crop, or mulch for winter. 



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 com- 

 paratively 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 wiU grow up 

 very rank in the spring and should be plowed 



When the hole is nalt filled in, a pound of bone fertilizer 

 can be applied, but this is not a necessity 



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. 



INTERCROPS. Up to the time trees are six or 

 seven years old, their roots will not occupy all the 

 space, and cultivated double crops can be used. 

 Even when filler trees are planted as close as 15 to 

 20 feet, the ground between can be made to yield 

 a profit while the trees are small; and if proper fer- 

 tiUzers are supplied, the orchards will be benefited 

 by the cultivation given to these double crops. 



When a man wants to start an orchard and does 

 not have the money, he often can do it by growing 

 four or five crops of melons, tomatoes, asparagus 

 or something similar between his trees. Do not 

 plant any crops requiring extremely late digging, 

 or this will act the same as late cultivation and 

 force fall growth of trees. The April, May and 

 June cultivation given these crops is just the thing 

 required by young trees. We advise sowing a 

 cover-crop with any intercrop, at the last cultiva- 

 tion, and let it come on. Rye or rye and vetch or 

 crimson clover and wheat are good, and will make a 

 cover-crop to carry through fall and winter. 



How the three trees shown in the first 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. 



CROSS-POLLINATION. Cross-pollination is a 

 subject too little understood. The only safe way 

 is to alternate different varieties to a certain extent. 

 Put a row of a different kind every three, four or 

 five rows. About 150 feet is far enough to depend 

 on pollen carrying. Ask us for information. 



SOILS. Select the location for your orchard 

 with reference to exposure, air-drainage and other 

 frost-damage factors, to the character of soil, and 

 particularly the nature of the subsoil. Roots have 

 to go down 3 to 4 feet. If there is a close and under- 

 lying slate or hardpan, avoid that land unless you 

 break up this hardpan thoroughly and permanently. 

 Delaware orchardists are near markets, and their 

 soil is worked easily. West Virginia and Pennsyl- 

 vania lands are high and grow an extra-fine quahty 

 of fruit; New England is farther north and claims 

 superior flavor and keeping qualities; Oregon is far 

 west and claims superior color. Whether much or 

 little is in these claims, what is best in one place is 

 balanced by a gain in another place. So, plant your 

 trees where you can do it best. Almost any soil will 

 do for apples, but they succeed best on land with 

 clay subsoil. Light or sandy soils are not so good 

 for pears as heavy loams or clay. The kind of soil 

 for peaches makes little difference so long as it is 

 well drained — a light sandy clay loam is best. 



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