578 
STATE HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
We want more light on the subject of fruit growing in the north-west; and 
I am pleased to learn that Wisconsin has started the wheel in the right 
direction to gather information. Let us have the experience of every fruit 
grower in the North-west, and it will be the means of saving thousands of 
dollars by enabling us to purchase trees of the right kmd, so that we will be 
able to enjoy the luxury of fruit of our own growing. 
September 11, 1865. 
FEUITS IN' NOETHEEN IOWA. 
BY E. K. IIEISS, ROCK GROVE, FLOYD COUNTY. 
* * * I would say that the soil of our orchard is a sandy loam, 
but not very sandy ; subsoil is clay. The face gradually slopes to the south 
the south end being almost level. I would prefer a northern or western 
slope. It is partiallly sheltered on the west by a grove. Our trees are gen¬ 
erally root grafted (I prefer that mode to any other, where the variety is 
known to be hardy) and were planted eleven years ago. The general causes 
of failure here have been in planting tender varieties; in planting on low wet 
soil; in using stimulating manures before the trees have borne three or four 
crops; in heavy pruning in the spring, when the sap is in full flow, also in 
severe pruning after the beginning of the second growth, which gives the 
tree a check in growth, followed by an over vigorous and late growth, and 
unfits it to stand our hard winters. As I have said trees are sometimes 
killed by pruning, so they sometimes perish for want of pruning. During 
the growing season our prevailing winds are from the south-west. This 
causes the tree to grow to the north-east, and the north-east branches take 
the lead, and rob the south-west ones of their due proportion of sap* This 
not only enfeebles the branches, but the trunk on the south-west side of the 
tree. Then it does not take much sun or freezing to kill the side of a tree 
which is about dead with starvation. The remedy is to cut back the north¬ 
east side branches to an inside bud, until a proper vigor and growth is 
forced on the other side. Something can be done in setting the tree, by 
setting so that it shall lean to the south-west, or toward the sun at one 
o’clock p. m. 
September 7, 1865. 
[Mr. F. gives a list of fruits as hardy, about the same as the Society have 
recommended.] 
