4 
P. J. BERCKMANS COMPANY’S TREE AND PfjANT 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 two horse plow, followed by a subsoil plow. Lay off the rows at required 
distances, and dig holes atleast. 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep; fill the holes bv breaking in the sides, commencing at the bottom and 
going upwards. Use surface soil in filling up, and with this mix a shovelful or two of cotton seed and stable manure compost, 
well decomposed, or about one pound 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. Pur¬ 
chasers should boar in mind that such trees can be removed from the nursery with all 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 atten¬ 
tion 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. Outback 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 ami 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 permanent place rather than in the nursery row. 
To insure the earliest crop of fruit after transplanting , always select one or two-year-old trees. 
TIME FOB 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 sulli 
dent new roots to give it a firm hold in the ground, and will grow off rapidly when active vegetation 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 iu some seasons the first of April, but success is increased if the planting has been done in the fall or early 
winter. 
After-C\ilt\ire. 
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 the spring. 
FOR ORCHARDS Drill in cow peas in Mayor June, or keep the ground planted in cotton, vegetables or melons. Leave 
atleast 4 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 iu fall, 
using a suitable commercial fertilizer; turn under iu spring and drill in peas as al>ove 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 cov 
ering the roots with earth, and give a copious watering. Trees thus treated can remain in the trenches until ready for their per¬ 
manent places in the orchard. If frozen when received, bury the trees without unpacking in well-drained ground,'or place iu a 
cool cellar until thawed, without exposure to the air or light. 
Injurious 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 to oppose their ravages; otherwise he must remain at their mercy, aud 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. 
Apple 'Worm (Carpocapsa pomonella) or Codlin Moth. 
Spray with Paris Green at the rate of 4 ounces to 50 gallons of 
water or Bordeaux mixture, after the blossoms have fallen, 
and before the calyx lobes close. Repeat in one week It is 
generally conceded that earlier or later sprayings than men¬ 
tioned above are of no value when dealing with the codlin moth. 
Itis 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 no 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. 
BORER (Saperda Candida). Examine trees iu spring and 
again in June and dig out the grubs with a wire. Tnen wash 
the collar of roots and part of the body with a mixture of lime 
and sulphur. 
Caterpillar (Clisiocampa americana.) Destroy nests as 
soou as they appear in spring by burning, or spray with Paris 
Green, 8oz., lime, 1 lb., water. 50 gal. 
Canker Worm (Anisop^h-yx vernate.) Encircle the tree 
with aoanvas belt coated thoroughly with tar or train oil. Or 
spray with 4 ounces Paris green to 50 gallons of Bordeaux or 
water. 
WOOLY APHIS. (Schi/.oneura lanigera ) For above 
round colonies, wash trees with solution of whale-oil soap or 
erosene emulsiou. For root-in habiting colonies, remove the 
soil to the depth of about three inches,equal to the spread of 
the tree. Distribute tobacco dust and immediately replace 
the soil. 
PEACHES AND PLUMS. 
Curculio (Conotrachelos nenuphar). Spray the trees before 
the blossoms open with a solution of Paris green, 4 ounces, lime 
1 lb to50 gallons of water. Use Bordeaux vith Paris green 
when the blossoms have fallen. Ten days later Bordeaux and 
Paris green. If Peach aud Plum trees are in foliage, use three 
pounds copper sulphate, 9 pounds lime aud 50 gallons of water; 
astronger mixture will burn the foliage Then follow with a 
large hopper made of sheeting, and having a spread of 10 to 15 
feet, having a slit in same so that the tree can beeucircled; 
give the trunk a quick blow with a padded club; this causes the 
curculio to fall. Dump the insects into a jar of kerosene. Jar¬ 
ring should be done daily, early in the morning and late in the 
evening before the insects begin tolly. Continue the jarring 
until the orchard is rid of the insects. 
Peach Tree Borer (Sanninoidea exitiosa). During No¬ 
vember or December scrape the earth from the collar of the 
roots, carefully examine the bark for larv-se or grubs. The fol¬ 
lowing is an excellent wash for peach trees: One bushel of 
quick lime, 20 pounds of sulphur. 1 gallon coal tar. 50 gallons 
water. Mix tar and sulphur in 10 gallons of water in barrel, 
add lime, keep well stirred. When entirely slaked dilute to 60 
gallons. Apply with a brush iu winter'to body and larger 
limbs of the tree. In February draw the earth up to the tree 
forming a cone about 6 inches above the level. 
San .Jose Scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus). This attacks 
peach, pear, apple, quince, cherry, walnut, raspberry ,rose and 
a number of other trees and shrubs. For winter treatment 
use lime.sulphur and salt mixture. Spray in December and 
again late in February or early March. For summer treai- 
ment would suggest spraying with kerosene emulsion, one part 
