THE CHASE NURSERIES, GENEVA, N. Y. 
tooth drag or pulverizer previously to the 
planting. New land needs no manure, but if 
you wish to set an orchard on land having 
green crops, it is a good plan to fertilize either 
with plenty of barnyard manure or turn under 
a growth of clover. Give the land as good a 
preparation as for wheat, corn or potatoes and 
your trees will show rapid growth, and will 
fruit earlier. 
Standard Trees. They vary from five to 
seven feet in height, with naked stems or 
trunks, and a number of branches at the top 
forming a head. These branches should all be 
cut back to within three or four buds of their 
base. This lessens the demand upon the roots, 
and enables the remaining buds to push with 
vigor. Cut off smoothly all bruised or broken 
roots up to the sound wood. 
Pruning, after the first year, should be varied 
according to the purpose of the planter, and 
the variety of the trees. They should be 
trimmed as early as possible up to the height 
it is intended the future head should be, that 
the cutting off of large limbs may not in the 
future be necessary. After the removal of the 
lower branches till the head has reached the 
desired height, the only pruning needed is to 
remove such branches as are crossing or in- 
terfering with each other, and to keep the 
head in symmetrical shape and open to sun and 
air. Trees should receive proper shape by 
Wrong Way Right Way 
pruning early in the spring of each year, while 
they are young, and very little pruning will 
be needed afterwards. 
Dig holes large enough to admit the roots 
of the tree to spread out in their natural posi- 
tion; then, having the tree pruned as before 
directed, let one person hold it in an upright 
position, and the other shovel in the earth, 
carefully putting the finest and the best from 
the surface in among the roots, bringing every 
root in contact with the soil. When the earth 
is nearly filled in, a pail of water may be 
thrown around the roots; then fill in the re- 
mainder and tread gently with the foot. The 
use of water is seldom necessary, except in 
dry weather early in fall or late in spring. 
Guard against planting too deep; the trees, 
after the ground settles, should stand in this 
respect as they did in the nursery. Trees on 
dwarf stock should stand so that all the stock 
be under the ground, and no more. In very 
dry, gravelly ground, the holes should be dug 
twice the usual size and depth, and filled in 
with good loamy soil. Keep grass and weeds 
away from trees. 
Dwarf Trees, if two or three years growth, 
with a number of side branches, will require 
pruning. The branches must be cut into the 
form of a pyramid by shortening the lower 
ones, say one-half, those above them shorter, 
and the upper ones around the leading shoots 
to within two or three buds of their base. The 
leader itself must be shortened back one-half 
or more. When trees have been dried or in- 
jured much by exposure, the pruning must be 
closer than if in good order. 
Staking. Tf trees are tall or in exposed sit- 
uations, they should be supported by stakes 
to prevent injury from wind. Staking is done 
in the best manner by driving two strong 
stakes firmly in the ground, one on each side 
of the tree, about a foot from it, and fasten- 
ing the tree between them witn bands of straw 
or other soft material. 
Mulching. This is properly done by placing 
a layer of coarse manure or litter, from three 
to six inches deep, about the tree, extending 
one or two feet further in each direction than 
the roots. This keeps the ground moist and of 
an even temperature; renders watering unnec- 
essary, and is in all respects preferable. Trees 
properly mulched are more certain to live and 
also make better growth than those not so 
treated. 
Cultivation after Planting. Many cultiva- 
tors after going to great trouble and expense 
in selecting and planting trees, fail by neglect- 
ing that after-care and attention that is 
equally essential. Caterpillars and Canker 
Worms, Grubs and Borers, Slugs and Aphis, 
Disease and Blight must be watched for, and 
remedies faithfully applied. The wants of the 
trees must be foreseen and a faithful effort 
made to ensure health and productiveness. For 
such care the cultivator will be well repaid 
with thrifty, shapely trees and abundant crops 
