AUSTIN. TEXAS 
31 

Cultivation 
This is very important, if not most important. In 
home grounds, trees and shrubs should have the top 
soil around them loose for two inches deep, and free 
of weeds and grass. This is for the benefit of the 
tree, as well as for the sake of appearance. 
Shade and other large trees, after two or three 
years, will not be hurt by lawn grass growing up to 
them, provided due watering is given. 
An orchard should be kept clean, with a _ loose 
mulch of soil two inches deep at all times. A winter 
crop of oats, turned under before maturing, or sum- 
mer crop of legumes turned under, will be beneficial. 
Other crops should not be planted in orchard, or live- 
stock allowed in it. 
Wide sweeps or disc harrow will give proper culti- 
vation. Do not use a turning plow. except shallow if 
the ground has become hard. Try not to injure roots. 
Watering 
Many people hesitate to plant when the ground is 
dry, but this is the best time to plant, as trees should 
be watered when planted, whether dry or not, and 
rains thereafter do the utmost good. 
> 
Most orchard trees receive no irrigation after being 
planted, but two or three waterings during dry 
weather the first summer are good insurance. 
This is the secret of successful, economical water- 
ing: With a hoe make a trench or ditch around tree 
or plant, and give all the water the soil will take. 
Let it soak away two or three times. Then pull back 
the dry soil over the wet, to prevent baking and loss 
of moisture. In yards, such a watering is good for 
one to two weeks in driest weather. 
Give enough water to reach to the ends of the roots. 
For Pecans, this means about three feet deep or more. 
Do not sprinkle as you would a lawn.! After rain or 
irrigation, stir surface of ground as soon as dry. - 
Rabbit Protection 
Wrap bodies of trees with newspapers, straw or 
corn stalks. See your seed dealer for special rabbit 
repellents. | 
Frost Protection 
Loss of fruit crops is due largely to late frosts. If 
orchards are kept in good condition all year, so that 
trees can grow well through the summer, they 
remain more dormant in winter, and better escape 
the late freezes. 
Smudge pots burning crude or waste oil, burned 
one, two, or three times in February or March, will 
save a crop. Burning brush, logs, straw, or cobs on 
windward side will help. The killing late freezes 
usually come between 3 and 6 o’clock in the morning. 
For a few trees one can spray them with water 
from a hose about bed time and again before sun-up, 
and escape the worst late freeze. 
Use of Fertilizer — 
Scarcely anything is better than old barnyard 
manure, which should be spread. on ground and 
worked into soil. If used with trees when planted, 
it should be well mixed with soil, not more than 
one part fertilizer to four parts of good soil. As 
trees or plants grow from year to year, any fertil- 
izer should be placed from trunks out as far as roots 
spread. In a few years’ time this means ten feet or 
more out from fruit trees. 
Commercia! fertilizers are cheap and easily applied, 
and their use will depend on character of soil. 
When Leaves Turn Vellaw 
This is usually due to excess of lime in soil, espe- 
cially affecting fruit trees, grapes, and roses. Cop- 
peras (iron sulphate) is an absolute remedy. Work it 
into soil, beginning near main trunk and extending 
out as far as roots spread. Watering at once will 
hasten results. Following amounts should be used: 
Roses and plants of similar size, 2 to 6 tablespoons, 
depending on size and age. 
Grapes, 4 tablespoons to half a pound. 
Bearing fruit trees, 2 to 5 pounds. 
In most soils, especially heavy or black, copperas 
is good for all trees and plants. One application in 
Spring is generally sufficient, but it may be applied 
at any time. 
Copperas can be obtained at drug stores, or from 
us. Prices on application. 
To Make an Acid Soil 
Many plants, such as Cape Jasmine, Azaleas, and 
Hydrangeas, will not grow in a limey or alkaline soil, 
and require an acid soil. The acid soil can be made 
by mixing equal proportions of good loam with peat 
moss or good leaf mold to fill in hole when planting. 
Dig a large hole. Also apply copperas at time of 
planting and at intervals through the growing season. 
Root Rot 
This is a fungus which kills cotton and affects Pear, 
Apple, Fig, Mulberry, Grape, Althea, Elms, and Priv- 
ets. Other trees are not hurt to much extent. It oc- 
curs mostly in black, lime soils. The best practical 
remedy is to leave no live roots in ground during one 
or two winters. Planting of ground in grain crops 
and thorough later summer and fall plowing will. in 
one or two years, almost eradicate this fungus. Use 
of copperas seems to help. 
How to Help Pollination 
Several stands of. bees near fruit trees and berry 
plants will increase yields of fruit. 
Control of Insects and Diseases 
Considering the benefit derived from spraying, the 
small cost is hardly worth considering, whether for 
one tree or a thousand trees. Materials for sprays can 
be obtained from most paint, drug, and seed stores. 
In using liquid sprays, it is important to throw as 
fine a mist or fog as possible. For large fruit trees, 
about a gallon per tree will be required. 
Because Lime-Sulphur and Bordeaux Mixture can 
be obtained already prepared from seed, paint, and 
most drug stores, we do not give formulas for pre- 
paring them. Where less than one hundred gallons of 
mixture is needed, it is better to buy the materials 
already prepared. Directions come with materials. 
