February, 1919 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE SUPPLEMENT 
15 
admit setting' the tree about two 
inches deeper than it stood in the 
nursery. Spread out the roots and 
sift fine earth about them and pack 
firmly with the feet. If the earth is 
moist and mellow it cannot be 
tramped too firmly. It must be in 
close contact with the roots in order 
to enable them to take up the water 
it contains. 
Pruning: — The tree is now safely 
anchored in the ground but the work 
is not finished. At this point arises 
the most common cause of failure. 
Some of the branches must be re- 
moved or the tree is apt to perish. 
Before removal from the nursery 
the tree had sufficient roots to supply 
all of its buds with water. In dig- 
ging, most of the roots have been 
(necessarily) removed, but the buds 
are left. When growth begins every 
healthy bud will push out and call on 
the roots for water to feed its new- 
born leaves. The very limited supply 
that the reduced root system can 
pump up will be distributed equally 
and as a result none may have enough 
to develop its leaves and without 
leaves the tree must perish. We must, 
therefore, reduce the number of these 
water pumps by removing one-lialf to 
three-fourth of the buds. 
The drier the ground and weather 
the more we should cut off. The 
manner in which the cutting is done 
will depend to a great extent upon 
the kind of tree. In apples, plums, 
etc. we need to bear in mind the ulti- 
mate shape of the tree. The frame- 
work upon which the branch system 
is built is determined largely at this 
time. Remove crowding, crossing, 
and interfering branches. Aim to 
leave the main branches spirally 
about the stem rather than opposite. 
The lower opposite branches in fruit 
trees form bad forks that may split 
down later. Don’t be afraid to cut; 
failure will result unless much cutting 
is done. 
Distance to Plant: — Apple and crab 
trees should be planted 24 x 24 feet 
which will require seventy-five trees 
to the acre. 
Plums and cherries may be planted 
as close as 16 x 20 feet but 20 x 20 
feet is better. At 20 x 20 feet 108 
trees are required for an acre. 
Cultivation and Cropping: — The or- 
chard must be cultivated for at least 
several years after planting if profit- 
able returns are expected. Weeds and 
grass must be kept down and the soil 
stirred to encourage growth. There 
is no need, however, of devoting all of 
the space between the rows to the 
trees the first four or five years, hence 
intercropping is suggested. 
Beans, garden peas, potatoes or 
other hoed crops may be grown with- 
out serious detriment to the trees, 
but corn, except possibly sweet corn, 
ought not to be planted in the young 
orchard as it takes too much from the 
soil and shades the young trees. Cul- 
tivation should cease soon after July 
1st in order to permit ripening of the 
wood growth. 
Protectors: — To prevent damage by 
mice and rabbits during winter the 
trunks of the trees should be covered 
with wire screen or tarred paper. If 
the paper is used it should be removed 
in the spring 
Buying Trees: — Buy only two year 
old trees of apple. One year cherry 
trees if well grown in the nursery are 
often as good if not better than two 
year old. Two year old plum trees 
are usually sent 'out by nurseries. 
Buy of Wisconsin nurserymen. We 
have many reliable nursery firms in 
our own state who can furnish any 
of these varieties. Why buy else- 
where? 
Place you order in fall or winter 
for early spring delivery. Do not 
plant fruit trees in the fall. 
Varieties 
Apples: — The varieties named be- 
low are all standard, reliable and 
hardy and have been thoroughly 
tested in Wisconsin for fifty years or 
more. 
For the home orchard of a dozen 
apple trees the following selection, 
will give satisfaction: 3 Duchess 
(early), 5 Wealthy (mid season), 4 
Northwestern Greening (winter). If 
a greater variety is desired add Mc- 
Intosh (midseason), Tolman Sweet 
(winter), and Windsor (winter). For 
north-central and northern Wisconsin 
substitute Patten Greening for North- 
western and omit McIntosh. 
Do not plant Transcendent crab 
anywhere in Wisconsin on accoun,t of 
its tendency to blight, plant Martha 
or Hyslop instead. The commercial 
grower will want to add to the above. 
A full list 'of tested varieties will be 
found in the Annual Report of this 
Society. (Sent free to members). 
Plums: — Surprise, DeSoto, Hawk- 
eye, all natives, all reliably hardy 
anywhere in Wisconsin and all sure 
croppers. 
None of the European or Japanese 
plums are long-lived in Wisconsin but 
trees 'of certain varieties often live to 
bear several crops. 
Try: Green Gage, Bombard and 
Moore's Arctic for European and Bur- 
bank for Japanese. 
Cherries: — Where cherries thrive 
plant Early Richmond and Mont- 
morency, no other. 
Pruning: — Prune tops severely as 
soon as planted, removing 50 to 75 
per cent of branches. 
Care: — Cultivate often enough until 
midsummer to keep down weeds and 
grass and to keep soil mellow. 
SUMMARY 
APPLES 
Soil: Clayey loam with permeable 
clay subsoil preferred, other soils 
nearly as good. 
Site: Elevated, level. If sloping 
land only is available choose north 
slope rather than south. 
Distance Apart to Set Trees: 24 by 
24 feet. 
Age of Trees to Set: Two year old. 
PLUMS. (Native) 
Soil: Any well drained land. Na- 
tive plums are adapted to a wider 
range of soil than otner tree fruits. 
Many varieties thrive on sandy soil. 
Site: Same as for apples. 
Distance: 20 by 20 or 16 by 20 feet. 
Age of Trees: 2 years. 
Culture: Same as for apples. 
CHERRIES. 
Soil: Light, well drained soil. 
Cherries will not thrive on heavy 
moist land. 
Distance: 20 feet. 
Age of Trees: 1 or 2 years. 
Culture: Same as for plums and 
apples. 
; NO GARDENER | 
In Wisconsin 
Can Afford 
::: to miss Wisconsin Horticulture, 
the 16-page Monthly Magazine : 
published by the State Horticul- : 
tural Society, Madison, Wiscon- 
::: sin. 
:: It is sent to members, also : 
::: the Annual Report. Fifty :: 
::: Cents pays for both and many :: 
::: other privileges. :3 
This is a supplement to the 
regular February number. 
Send for a copy. 
A similar supplement is is- 
sued each year. 
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