HARRISONS’ NURSERIES, BERLIN, MARYLAND 
Peach tree on the left, two-year apple tree in the middle 
and one-year apple tree at th,e 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 w T ell-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 will grow up 
very rank in the spring and should be plowed 
When the hole is half 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¬ 
tilizers 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 quality 
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. 
