»*> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) y A // /. y. fc ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 "IM lilM IIM |||||2J^ M 1.8 1.4 1.6 p^ (meaning "CON- TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole ^^- signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc. may be filmed at different reduction ratiob. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est Uim6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. rrata ;o pelure, 1 a □ 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 1^ Agriculture Canada PLEASE RETURN PRIERE DE RETOURNER Lent to - PrSte a Date 0010-32.3 ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TORONTO. MARCH, 1895. ff PLANTING AND CARING FOR YOUN(J TREFS IN AN APPLE ORCHARD. V>\ If. li. Ill II, r..S.A., MoKIK tl.TI Itlsr, OnTAKM) AuRim.Tl'KAI. C<)IJ-K Thk Soil and its Puktahatiov. Apples may be suocossfully grown on a great variety of .soils, from a moderately light sand to a heavy clay. The best soil, however, is a deep, open, clayey loum, which Hhotild be well drained either naturally or artificially. In addition to this it Rhculd be moderately rich and retentive of plant food, for it is impos-sible to raise good fruit on poor soil. To prepare the land for planting it should be plowed deeply in the fall and put in good condition in the spring as if prepared for a hoed crop. If the subsoil is a hard clay into which the roots of the trees cannot readily enter, it should be loosened up by means of a sub-soil plow, Where it is not convenient to treat the whole ground in this way, do a strip at least five or six feot wide where each row of trees is to stand, or when planting dig the holes much wider and deeper than would be otherwi.se necessary for planting. DisTANCK .\rAKr I oil Pi-ANTiNf.. It Is iinpo8.sible to stale any particular distunce apiii t foi' planting which would be .suitable for all conditions. rh<; iiiU; .should be lu allow space enough ho that when the trecH are full i;rown tlic tops will yet hv. a fow feet apart. This allowH th<^ free admission of .sunlight ho neccs-sary in producing well colored Iruit. The ultimate wi/e of a tree will depend much upon the variety, and the soil upon which it is grown. \'arieti(!S such as th(! IJen Davis or (Jntario, for instance, r(!y this arrangement the trees are planted in rows the same distance apart each way, four trees forming a square. A much better plan is what is known as the hexagonal. By this system fifteen {)er cent, more trees can be grown per acre without the least bit more crowd- ing— no small item when we consider that the profits per acre are increased accordingly. By the hexagonal arrangement the trees in the second row are set alternating with those in the first ; six treea forming a hexagon and enclosing a seventh in the centre. To ascer- tain the correct position for the first tree in the second row, and f onsequently the distance apart of the rows that way of the orchard, take two HtringH the saiiio lon«;th as tlio dist mco apurt at wiiicb tlio troes are to be planted, fasten the end of on<{ to the first and the other to the second stake in the tirst row, then stretch the free ondH out till they meet, this point will mark the position for the finH tree in the second row. Whichever method of arruntjement is adopted the trees should be set in perfectly straight lines, the first tree, no matter which way we look, hiding every other tree in the row. CroDked rows are not only an eyesore, but during cultivation they (endanger tin; lives of the trees as well as the morals otth(! man who has to cultivate thorn. To assist in getting the rows .straight, the position of each tree should be marked by a little .stak(? before the holes arr dug. Then when planting use a *' planlmg board." This may be five or six feet long and six inches wide, with a notch in one side at the middl(% just large enough to let in the trunk uf a small tree, and a hole at each end at e<|ual distances from this notch. When a hole is to br dug place this notch about the stake and put a peg through each hole at the end. The board may then l)e taken up and the; hoh' dug. When the tree is to be planted replace the board over thi pegs and place the tree in the notch. It will thus stand in the e.\a<;t position as the stake which marked the hole. Fkktii.i/.atign (IK HiiOssi'Ms. That the blossoms of a tree may "set" or become fruit, thvy must be fertili/.eil with pollen from their own or some other tree. It has loni* been known, however, that nature abhors self- fertilization, and that she resorts to various modifications of the flower to prevent it and thus secure if possible cross- fertilization. Hees and other insects flying from tlower to tlower are the chief agents in distributing the [»ollen and bringing about cross-f'ertili/ation. In a(;cord with this many varieties of apples have been found to be more or less self sterile that is, their pollen will not properly fertilize their own blossonis, although it may he .|uito potent on the blossoms of .some other variety. liecent experiments conducted by the United Stated nopartment of Agriculture have charly shown this to be the casu with many Vt«rietios of pears, and «!ven those varieties which an^ self fertih' were found to bear larger fruit and more of it, when fertilized with pollen from some other variety. In planting an orchard, therefore, wliih; it is well to avoid plant- ing a multiplicity of varieties, yet it is important to avoid j)lanting too large a block of any one variety. Tif VNSPLAN riN«J. There is (|uite a (livs. It may bo done in «nther spring or fall when the tree is dormant. As a rule, however, planting in early spring is the safest in our eliiuafe. If, when the troos arrive from th(j nursery, it is not convtm- iont to plant theiu at once, they should be •' heeled in " l>y placing the roots in a trench and covering them with ni«?llow aoil, well packed, to prevent their drying out. Never allow the roots to 'e exposed to the sun or wind any more than can be helpfnl. No matter how carefully a tree has been takv injured by H«!ver«f frce/ing. The fre|Ueiicy of cultivation neci'S.sary will depend much upon the soil and season. The aim should be to keep the surface soil loos<; ane very light. Light pruning may borers get into a tree there is no other remedy than cutting them out with a sharp knife, or killing them in their burrows with a stout wire. Uut prevention is better than remedy, and the injury from borers can easily be prevented. To do so wash the trunks and larger branches with a mixture of soft soap reduced ta the •on- sistency of thick paint with a solution of washing soda. If |uhI enough carl»olic acid is added to give it a strong smell it will bu dl the more repulsive to the beetles. This should hv. applied during the early part of June and again early in July when the beetles are most active in laying their eggf-. Sfr.avin*;. The whole host of leaf-eating in.sects which feed on the apple tree, such as the Tent caterpillar, Tled-humped apple tree caterpillar, Yellow-necked apple tree caterpillar. Fall web worm, Tussock moth, canker worms, etc., nuist l»e fought with Paris green, used at the rate of 1 lb. to 250 gallons of water. Other insects which suck the juices from the leaves and young wood, such as the aphis, tree cricket and bark louse, must be destroyed by the kerosene emulsion. This is niade according to the follow- ing formula: Hard soap .', ll>. (or soft soap about .'. gallon), hot water I gallon, coal oil 'J gallons. DisHolvo the soap in the Iiot water, .icld tlie coal oil, then agi- tate by means of a force piiuip or syringe for five or ten minutes until tlioroughly mixed. If properly made, this, on cooling, will form a Jelly-like substance, which, before using should bo diluted with about fifteen parts of water. The apple scab fungus, which uflectH the foliage as well as the fruit, must not be allowed to weaken the young trees lieforo they como to a bearing age. To hold this in check, spray befon^ the buds open with a solution made of 1 lb. of copper sulphate to 2^y gallons of water ; after the foliage appears spray three or four times at intervals of ten da^s or two weeks with the Bordeaux mixture. This, as now used, is made according to the following formula : Copper sulphate (blue vitrol) 4 ll>,, lime (fresh) 4 lb., water oO gallons or one coal oil barrel. Dissolve the coppl«nty of water, then .strajji it through a bit of coarse .sacking into the bairel containing the copper sulphate. Kill the barrel with water. If the lime is fre.sh and pure it should neiitrali/e all the ;icid in the cuppy loam in host. .'{. Work tim land dt-cp'y and w«'II pr«'viou8 to planting. I. l*lant far enough ripart tluxt tnvs will not touch when full grown. r». The hexagonal arrangement of trees in an orchard admits of I ft per rent. n»ore trees per a(;re than on the s(juare, without a l»it more crowding. 0. To Hecuro proper fertilization of hloHHonis, avoid planting too large a block of any one ' :i.iety. 7. When transplanting, keep roots moist and pack the earth al)Out them tirmly. 8, A mulch spread ahout newly tranfearing ag«j. IG. For leaf t'ating ins'-cts, use Paris green ; for sucking insects, kerosene emulsion ; and for fungous diseases, copper sulphate solution and Bordeaux mixture. 17. The Bordeaux mixtuie and Paris green may be applied together with advantage.