4 
P. J. BERCKMANS COMPANY’S TREE AND PLANT CATALOG. 
General Information for Planters 
Preparation of the Soil. 
The most desirable soil for fruit trees is a rich loam, naturally dry or made so by drainage. Before planting prepare 
the land by thorough plowing and subsoiling, first using a 2-horse plow, followed by a subsoil plow. Bay on tne rows 
at required distances, and dig holes at least 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep; fill the holes by breaking in the sides, com¬ 
mencing at the bottom and going upwards. Use surface soil in filling up, and with this mix a shovelful or two of 
cottonseed and stable manure compost, well decomposed, or about 1 lb. of bone meal. Avoid the contact of the roots 
with heating manure. 
Selection of Trees. 
For this climate experience has taught us that one and two-year-old trees of thrifty growth are the most desirable. 
Purchasers should bear in mind that such trees can be removed from the nursery with fdl their roots; whereas a four 
or five-year-old tree cannot be taken up without cutting away a large portion of them. Success in transplanting is 
increased according as attention is paid in selecting well-rooted trees, instead of heavily-branched ones. Give as 
many sound roots, and as little head to a tree as possible. 
Preparation of the Tree. 
Before planting, remove all broken roots. Cut back one year peach or apple trees to a naked stem 1% or 2% feet 
high, leaving no side branches. Two-year-old trees should have their branches cut back to half their length or more, 
the lower limb less than those above, cutting in shorter as you go upward, and leaving the leader the longest. 
Plant as deep as the tree was standing in the nursery row, except dwarf pears and cherries, which should be planted 
sufficiently deep to cover the stock from two to three inches. It is best to allow the tree to form its head in its perma¬ 
nent place rather than in the nursery row. 
To insure the earliest crop of fruit ajter transplanting , always select one or two-year-old trees. 
TIME FOR PLANTING. In this climate vegetation, although inactive in winter for the formation of leaves 
and new wood, is never so as to new roots. A tree transplanted in November or December will by the ensuing spring 
have formed sufficient new roots to give it a firm hold in the ground, and will grow off rapidly when active vegeta¬ 
tion commences. Plant as early after the first killing frost as practicable, and do not delay it until the spring months. 
Apple trees can be transplanted here as late as March, and in some seasons the first of April, but success is increased 
if the planting has been done in the fall or early winter. 
After-Culture. 
FOR GARDENS. Keep the soil free from grass and weeds, and stir frequently during the summer. Remove all 
suckers and branches which start below the head of the tree. Mulching is advisable for trees planted late in spring. 
FOR ORCHARDS. Drill in cow-peas in May or June, or keep the ground planted in cotton, vegetables or mel¬ 
ons. Leave at least four feet between trees and crop. Cultivate frequently until middle of August. Do not plant corn 
or small grained crops in your orchard if soil is of light character, but for stiff soils devoid of vegetable matter sow 
rye, scarlet clover or barley in fall, using a suitable commercial fertilizer; turn under in spring and drill in peas as 
above directed. If devoid of lime or potash, supply the deficiency by a top-dressing of bone meal, plaster, or good 
commercial fertilizer. 
To insure a healthy growth of fruit trees, the land should be kept well supplied with plant food. Lands exhausted 
by years of cropping cannot return a crop of fruit unless the trees are well cultivated and regularly fertilized. 
Care of Trees on Arrival. 
If not ready to plant on arrival, unpack without exposing the roots to cold or air, dig a trench, and heel-in by 
carefully covering the roots with earth, and give a copious watering. Trees thus treated can remain in the trenches 
until ready for their permanent places in the orchard. If frozen when received, bury the trees without unpacking 
in well-drained ground, or place in a cool cellar until thawed, without exposure to the air or light. 
Insects 
The rapid increase of insects injurious to fruit and fruit trees necessarily compels the horticulturist to obtain a 
knowledge of their habits, that he may provide means t > oppose their ravages; otherwise he must remain at their 
mercy, and find that paying crops become more and more uncertain. The limits of this catalog allow only space 
for the enumeration of the most destructive and abundant species which infest the orchards and vineyards, and the 
best remedies as suggested by leading entomologists. 
APPLES. 
BORER (Sanerda Candida.) Examine trees in spring 
and again in June and dig out the grubs with a wire. 
Then wash the collar of roots and part of the body with 
a mixture of lime and sulphur. 
Caterpillar (Olisiocampa americana.) Destroy nests 
as soon as they appear in spring by burning, or spray 
with Paris Green, 8 oz., lime 1 lb, water, 60 gal. 
Apple Worm (Carpocapsa pomonella) or Codlin Moth. 
Spray with Paris Green at the rate of 4 ounces to 50 gal¬ 
lons of water or Bordeaux mixture, after the blossoms 
have fallen, aud before the calyx lobes close. Repeat in 
one week. It is generally conceded that earlier or later 
sprayings than mentioned above are of no value when 
dealing with the codlin moth. It is necessary, therefore, 
to spray just after the petals fall and before the calyx 
lobes close, in order to fill this cup with poison at the 
only time it is possible to do so. Bordeaux not being 
strictly an insecticide, does not act against the codlin 
moth, but it is always well to use it with Paris green to 
prevent apple scab or other fungus diseases. 
Aphis, Woolly (Schizoneura lanigera.) For above 
ground colonies, wash trees with solution of whale-oil 
soap or kerosene emulsion. For root-inhabiting colonies 
scrape the soil away and apply two or three handfuls of 
tobacco dust or stems around the collar. 
Canker Worm (Anisopteryx vernata.) Encircle the 
tree with a canvass belt coated thoroughly with tar or 
train oil. Or spray with 4 ounces of Paris green to50 
gallons of Bordeaux or water. 
PEACHES AND PLUMS. 
Curculio (Conotrachelos nenuphar.) Spray the trees 
before the blossoms open with a solutibn of Paris gieen, 
•1 ounces, limei lb to 50 gallons of water. Use Bordeaux 
with Paris green when the blossoms have fallen. Ten 
days later Bordeaux and Paris green. If Peach and Plum 
trees are in foliage, use three pounds copper sulphate, i) 
pounds lime and 50 gallons of water; a stronger mixture 
will burn the foliage. Then follow' with a largo hopper 
made of sheeting, and having a spread 0 * 10 to 15 feet, 
having a slit in same so that the tree can be encircled: 
give the trunk a quick blow with a padded club; this 
causes the curculio to fall. Dump the insects into a jar 
of kerosene. Jarring should be done daily, early in the 
morning and late in the evening before the insects begin 
to fly. Continue the jarring until the orchard is rid of 
the insects. 
Peach Tree Borer (Sanninoidea exitiosa.) During 
November or December scrape the earth from the collar 
of the roots, carefully examine the bark for larvce or 
grubs; apply a wash of li me and sulphur. Early in Feb¬ 
ruary apply a handful of unleaehed ashes, and earth up 
tree, forming iX cone of 6 inches above the surface. 
San Jose S 0 ale (Aspidiotus pprnieiosus.) Thisattacks 
peach, pear, apple quince, cherry, walnut, raspberry, rose 
and a number of other trees and shrubs. For winter 
spray use 20 per cent, kerosene or crude petroleum when¬ 
ever this Is procurable, in a mechanical mixture with 
water (Gould Pump) or in emulsion with soap; thorougli- 
’T spray the trees in the fall as soon as the leaves have 
fallen. Repeat in the spring, just before the fruit buds 
