THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
437 
APPLE SEEDLINGS 
F. W. Watson, Topeka, Kan. 
In considering the growing and grading of Apple Seedlings we 
can give you only the mode as practiced in Topeka and in that 
vicinity. 
The soil is of the first consideration. Land is usually selected 
with a rather dark surface underlaid with a sandy sub-soil. It 
should be level-—for where land is uneven or hilly, the rains will 
wash the seedlings downward while small, and in cultivating some of 
the loose dirt will naturally crowd them from the uphill side, causing 
them to grow crooked at the collars. Land should be clean, no corn 
weeds, or trash of any kind should be plowed under, as it 
seems to harbor the wire worm which works upon the seed, also upon 
the seedlings while very small. 
Land should be new as far as nursery stock is concerned and 
always away from old orchards, to grow good healthy seedlings. 
Land plowed in the fall seems to be preferable; it is smoothed over 
as soon as frost is out in the spring in order to hold the moisture. 
At planting time, about April 12th to 15th, it is harrowed thoroughly 
and again smoothed just ahead of the drill. 
The drill is a wheat drill remodeled so as to sow four rows twenty 
four inches apart, planting the seed three-quarters of an inch below 
the surface and covering with a ridge three inches high. 
From eight to twelve good seeds are planted to the foot—from 
one to one and one-half to the acre. 
The bulk of the seed comes from France, packed in charcoal. 
As soon as received, it is run through a fanning mill to take out the 
charcoal, then put in sacks and soaked from five to seven days, the 
water being changed several times. It is then stored away in a cool 
place, until planting time. If weather happens to be cold so seed 
can be frozen before planting, so much the better. Seed that has 
been planted without having first been well soaked starts irregularly 
and often a large proportion will not sprout. At planting time the 
seed is spread out on long screens to partially dry so that it will pass 
through the drills freely. If sun is hot and seed becomes too dry, it 
will germinate slowly and sometimes it will fail to start at all and 
crop is lost. As soon as seed begins to sprout the cultivators are 
started. 
The cultivator, which is a homemade affair, takes two rows at a 
time and stirs the ground thoroughly before the seed is up. Just as 
the seed begins to grow, but before it reaches the surface, the three 
inch ridge that covers it is raked off, exposing a small per cent of the 
crop. If, on account of wet weather or other causes this ridge is not 
raked off the row until the seedlings begin to put their heads through 
it will cause them to become “leggy” and to have very crooked col¬ 
lars. 
Right here at the raking off period is the “danger” point in 
seedling growing. If a dashing rain comes within a day or two, or if 
weather becomes very hot and dry, it will ruin a large per cent of the 
crop. If a high wind comes, and you have heard somewhere that it 
sometimes blows in Kansas, the fine soil or dust on the surface will 
often roll and slide along until it has cut the tender seedlings to the 
ground. The ideal condition at this critical time would be moist soil 
before raking, cloudy weather for a day or two, with little or no wind 
after raking; but the ideal is seldom realized. We often get a high 
wind at the wrong time, sometimes heavy rains that pack the ground 
preventing those not up from getting out and beating those down 
that are up. Frequently we get a dry spell that catches the seed 
before it begins to sprout and sometimes after it lias sprouted. If 
the dryness reaches the seedling while the hull is still on, it will so 
bind the embryonic leaves that they cannot unfold and these seed¬ 
lings are gone. 
After the seed is raked off the wheel hoes are started and con¬ 
tinued until the seedlings are two or three inches high and then the 
cultivators alone are used, with which, by using different and larger 
tools as the season advances, the ground is kept perfectly clean and 
well pulverized. 
When the seedlings are four or five inches high, brooms are 
fastened to the cultivators, to that they constantly sweep the rows; 
California Privet Fruit and Shade Trees 
Evergreens 
SAMUEL C. DE COU 
Moorestown, Burlington County, N. J. 
Easterly Nursery Co., 
CLEVELAND, TENN. 
Offers for Spring Shipment: 
One, Two and Three-year Apple, Two-year Kieffer Pear, Two-year Sour Cherry, 
One-year Peach in car-load lots. A good assortment of Japan Plums, one-year and 
Mariana Stocks. Ask for prices. 
E make a specialty of collecting accounts for the 
Trade. 
For particulars and references, address the 
National Florists’ Board of Trade, 
56 Pine Street - New York City 
F. E. SCHIFFERLI 
FREDONIA, N. Y. 
Successor to WHEELOCK & CLARK 
AT IT SEVENTEEN YEARS 
For Fall 1909 and SPRING 1910 
GRAPE VINES AND CURRANT PLANTS 
GRAPE AND CURRANT CUTTINGS 
CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED 
P. OUWERKERK, 
No. 216 Jane St., Weehawken Heights, Hoboken, N. J. 
Rhododendrons, Clematis, H. P. Roses, Hardy Azaleas, 
Paeonies, Magnolias, Box Trees, Fancy Conifers, Hydran¬ 
geas and Shrubs, our specialties at our HOLLAND NUR¬ 
SERIES. Some of the goods on hand here during the 
packing season. 
ALL NURSERYMEN SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN 
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS 
The American Fertilizer is a monthly magazine, devoted exclusively 
to the fertilizer industry. Sample copy free. 
Subscription and Advertising rates upon application 
^ d. d 1*0 ss 
THE AMERICAN FERTILIZER 
WARE BROS. COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA 
Publishers PA. 
Also 
Publishers of The American Fertilizer Hand-Book 
CATALPA SPECIOSA Seedlings 
LARGE OR SMALL LOTS 
BLACK LOCUST SEEDLINGS 
Please let me know your wants 
J. A. GAGE, Fairbury, Nebr. 
A TJ A D C A I 1VI IN STANDARD PEARS. 
D J\ IV Al 1 IN Extra sizet 6 to 7 ft.; 1 
inch and up 5 to 6 ft.; 3-4 and up. Mostly Bartlett. 
Can also furnish a few of the leading varieties. 
It will be worth while to get our prices before buying elsewhere 
Address, 
PIONEER NURSERIES COMPANY, 
Salt Lake City, Utah. 
