530 ReEporT OF 'rHE HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
much the better. Pears are grown as standards on French 
seedlings or as dwarfs on the Angers quince. The dwarfs are 
gradually going out of vogue. The peach should be worked 
upon seedlings from southern pits and not upon those from 
cannery seeds. Sour cherries on Mazzard stock are far su- 
perior to those on the Mahaleb steck, yet the latter is usually 
planted because easier for the nurseryman to grow and there- 
fore cheaper for the cherry grower to buy —a geat mistake on 
the part of the grower, as trees on Mahaleb stock are dear at 
any price. Plums are grown upon several stocks and no one 
seems to know which are best for the several species of this 
fruit, the different types of soil, and the hundreds of varieties. 
After the trees are on hand the vexed problem arises as to 
how the orchard is to be laid out — whether in squares, quin- 
cunxes, hexagons, with or without fillers, and as to distances 
apart. Only generalities can be given here. The first is that 
a system of squares is usually best because it permits the 
orchard operations to be carried on most readily. Both roots 
and branches will utilize all of the space. Second, fillers of 
fruits other than varieties of the species composing the perma- 
nent trees usually serve only to vex the soul. They greatly 
complicate orchard operations and under treatment meant 
primarily for the permanent trees they are neither “ fish, flesh, 
fowl, nor good red herring.” Fillers of quick bearing varieties 
of the same fruit, especially the apple, may often be used to 
advantage. Third, there should be as many “ outside rows ” as 
possible. JI mean the trees should be far enough apart for each 
to develop in full its individuality for every fruit grower 
knows that the trees on the outside of his orchard produce 
most fruit; the reason is that they get most air, sunshine, 
wind, moisture and food. What better argument for wide 
planting? 
A good deal is being said about sex in fruits and especially 
about the impotency of varieties whereby their fruits do not 
set well. My own opinion is that fruit does not set in this 
region for most part because of frosts, cold weather, rains and 
