Sherman Nursery Company, Charles City, Iowa 
21 
ping - , fertilizers must be applied, either by 
turning in heavy crops of clover, or well- 
decomposed manure or compost. To insure a 
good growth of fruit trees, land should be in 
as good condition as for a crop of corn or 
potatoes. 
Cultivation and Mulching —After setting of 
the trees, one of two practices must be fol¬ 
lowed until trees have become well estab¬ 
lished; either thorough cultivation or mulch¬ 
ing and seeding down with a cover crop. 
Thorough cultivation, we believe, is the best 
practice if rapid growth and early bearing are 
an object. Trees protected with mulching or 
by a cover crop, such as clover or other 
legumes, will not make as rapid growth as if 
given frequent cultivation. Where cultivation 
is practiced, it should be frequent enough to 
keep the top soil well pulverized and free from 
cracks so as to retain the moisture. Culti¬ 
vation in the Middle West should be discon¬ 
tinued after the first to the tenth of July as 
late cultivation will tend to keep the trees 
growing so late in the season that the wood 
will not harden up and be prepared for severe 
winter conditions. Immediately after the last 
cultivation a cover crop for winter protection 
such as oats or rye should be sown. This will 
hold the snow and help to keep the ground 
from heaving. Intercropping or the use of 
small fruits, vegetables, or corn in the orchard 
the first few years may be practiced with satis¬ 
factory results if thorough cultivation is given. 
In such instances the tendency, however, is 
to take too much from the soil without re¬ 
turning a sufficient amount of fertilizer. Where 
clover or other legumes are planted in later 
years, such crops should be plowed under at 
least every third year, plowing as shallow as 
possible, thoroughly discing and reseeding the 
following - spring. After orchard trees come 
into bearing, larger yields will be obtained on 
most soils by the use of barnyard manure 
spread under the trees to a depth of two to 
three inches. This should not be applied close 
to the body of the tree but well spread out 
under the branches. If left closer than two 
feet from the body of the tree, an excellent 
place is provided for rodents and insects, and 
injury by heating may also be caused to the 
body of the tree. 
Pruning —The low branches on orchard 
trees should be encouraged, especially on the 
south side. A low branched tree is in every 
way to be preferred. The ground is shaded 
as well as the body of the tree; the fruit is 
more easily picked, and the limbs are not so 
liable to be broken by the wind. Eighteen 
inches from the ground is about the right 
distance for the lowest branches. For the 
home orchard, only such pruning should be 
given fruit trees as will allow a reasonable 
amount of light and sun into the trees when 
in full leaf so as to give good color to the 
fruit. Any branches that are crowding- or 
rubbing should be removed, also any shoots 
(sometimes called suckers) coming up from 
the ground at the base of the tree. Pruning 
is an extensive subject (see also page 9) and 
when considered from the commercial orchard 
standpoint, detailed information adapted to 
different varieties should be obtained from an 
authoritative source. We will be glad to put 
commercial orchard planters in touch with such 
information. Write the Horticultural Depart¬ 
ment of your State Agricultural College for 
bulletins on this subject. 
Protection From Winds —Orchards in the 
prairie states should be protected from ex¬ 
cessive wind. This will help to keep the soil 
from drying, will protect the trees against the 
heavy, cold winds in winter and the hot winds 
in summer. A crop of fruit at or near har¬ 
vest has been saved in many an orchard by 
a good windbreak. Trees heavily laden with 
fruit are sometimes severely damaged when 
they do not have this protection. The wind¬ 
break for the orchard may be so arranged 
as to protect the buildings and stock on the 
farm. 
Number of Trees Required per Acre — On 
account of ease in cultivation, spraying and 
care, most planters prefer setting trees in what 
is known as the rectangular system. See last 
paragraph on this page for number of trees or 
plants required for any given area. 
How Far Apart to Plant —See page 22. 
Spraying —See page 10 for spraying direc¬ 
tions and formulas. 
Directions for Wintering — When trees are 
delivered in the fall, for planting the follow¬ 
ing' spring, select a dry place where water 
will be well drained off during the winter 
months; then dig a trench a little longer than 
the trees that are to be heeled-in, with the 
lower end about two feet deep. Dig the trench 
broad enough to contain the trees when 
spread in a single layer; then remove all pack¬ 
ing material from about the trees and spread 
them out in the trench. When this is done, 
sift in fine dirt until all the open spaces are 
filled among the trees and roots and they are 
covered several inches deep, then tramp firmly 
and fill up the trench, mounding up the dirt 
so that the tops will be covered at least four 
inches deep and the roots about two feet. Care 
should be taken to remove all material from 
the trench and its vicinity which might serve 
as nests for mice. 
How to Find Number of Trees or Plants 
Required for an Acre — There are 43,560 
square feet in an acre. Divide this amount 
by the number of square feet allowed for each 
plant. This may be ascertained by multiply¬ 
ing the distance between the plants in the 
row by the distance between the rows; for 
instance, grapes planted 8 feet apart in the 
row by 10 feet between the rows—8 times 10 
equals 80, the number of square feet required 
for each plant. 43,560 divided by 80 equals 
544, the number of grape vines required for 
an acre. If the plot of ground to be devoted 
to any given variety of fruit is less than an 
acre, multiply its length by its breadth and 
divide your result by the number of square 
feet required for each plant and your result 
will be the number of plants needed for that 
tract. A tract 209 feet on a side will equal 
an acre. 
