ltogether, and select a
deep, rich subsoil. Trees planted in river bottoms have been known to be
vigorous and productive after twenty-five years; while those on the
prairie hard-pan planted at the same time have entirely disappeared. The
best time for planting is in November, in order that the fiber roots may
be ready for the first warm days of February. Nice, healthy trees, from
two to three years old, should be selected; cut the tops back and trim
off most of the fiber roots. The reason for cutting the tops back is to
make the tree more productive, more easily harvested, and to aid in
keeping off the tree borers, of which we will speak later. Our orchards
should not be allowed to grow up in waste and neglect, neither should
they be planted in those things which sap the life of the soil and
leave nothing to sustain the tree. One of the main causes of
non-productiveness of the apple orchard is land starvation. An orchard
cannot produce fruit in addition to a crop of wheat, oats, rye, etc.;
and so, if a man continues to take off crops of these every year, he
simply does it at the expense of his trees. There are crops, however,
which may be used with good effect, such as corn, peas, hay, potatoes,
etc. In this the owner gets the profit of his fruit and also the use of
his land. Yet, with all our care of the soil, minuteness in following
directions as to setting out and trimming, etc., there are other
difficulties still to overcome.

Many kinds of insects may infest the trunks and larger branches of the
trees. Among them are the apple-tree louse, round- and flathead borers,
San Jose scale, canker-worm, tent-caterpillar, etc. I would name the
borers and San Jose scale [None yet found in the state.--Sec.] as being
the worst of the pests with which to contend. The borers attack the
trunks and larger limbs of the trees; they seek the sunny side of the
tree, not being found where the sap is abundant or where there is a
continual shade. Under the first they drown, and under the last they
weaken and die. This is a strong argument in favor of low heading and
shady growth of the trees. The parent of the borer, a long, green or
pale brown beetle, may be caught and destroyed, but it is not to be
presumed that all the beetles can be caught; it becomes necessary to
examine the trees quite often, in order to destroy the worms hatched
from the eggs of the uncaptured beetles. To detect the spots which
indicate the whereabouts of these wor