The times., 1896-06-26
srlohigan's rruis Institute.

81, in the midst of the famous fruit
belt of that state.
The first session was opened Monday
evening by the chairman, Chas. w.
Garfield, of Grand Rapids, who ex-
planned the plan of the institute. He
was followed by Roland Morrill, of Ben
ton Harbor, president of the State Hor-
ticultural society, who spoke upon the
cultivation and care of brains, claim
ing that the farmer and fruit grower
to be successful as much or more than
men in other callings needed a supply
of that article. Not only should he un-
derstand the nature Of the soil and the
requirements of the crops, but he
should be familiar with best methods of
performing the various operations nee
essary In caring for them. While
scientific education will aid one in his
work, a man with a fair supply Of gray
matter can, by observing what is going
on about him, and by reading and di-
gesting the reports of others as found in
agricultural papers and periodicals, and
as given at farmers institutes and 9TH
er meetings, be much more likely
to succeed than one who despises book
farming and goes about his work in
the same manner as his father before
him.
The marketing of the crops is seri-
Gus matter, and a good business train
ing will not come amiss. A man with
an intellect cultivated along practical
/ Lines, and who has a fair supply OF
horse sense, is in a good way to sue
ceed, even in these times Of depression.
During the session of the institute it
was arranged that the speakers, who,
in addition to Mr.. Morrill,, comprised
Profs. Kedzie, Beal, Taft, Smith and
Barrows of the Agricultural College,
should speak each day at the same hour
for thirty minutes, with an equal time
devoted to discussions, questions and
answers, making it a sort of school
of horticulture. Mr.. Morrill, at 10
o'clock each day discussed different
phases of peach culture His first topic
was "The Locating and Planting of
Peach Orchards" He introduced the
subject by reading ten commandments
for peach growers, suggested by j. II.
Hale of Connecticut, the we'll known
peach specialist, as the basic principles
of peach culture. Upon the fidelity with
which these are followed the speaker
claimed would hang most of the law
and all of the profits.
1. Select for the orchard high, dry
soil, preferably good sandy loan.
| 2. Choose hardy varieties of known
value in the section where they are to
be grown.
8. Use hardy, Seeding stocks, bud
ded from bearing trees of undoubted
purity and health.
A. Give the trees entire possession
of the land from the start.
S. Give thorough cultivation from
early spring until August.
G. Use liberal amounts of mineral
fertilizers rich in potash and phosphor-
ic acid and deficient in nitrogen.
Z. Start the trees with low heads
and cut back the growth one-half for
the first five years.
8. Watch for and dig out all the
borers. Wash trunks with some good
wash to prevent the deposition Of the
eggs
8. Thin the fruit so as to secure
large specimens and avoid the drain
upon the tree.
10. Examine trees frequently for
yellows; cut out and burn diseased trees
as soon as found.
He advised the locating Of orchards
upon hillsides, where the cold air would
drain off, rather than upon level land,
even though it might be upon hilltop.
A light sandy loan of moderate fer
tility was recommended rather than a
clay soil, as, although the latter might
be underdrained and subsoiled, the
trees would be short-lived, with black,
cracked trunks, and dead branches.
Some white varieties will do fairly well
upon sand, but the kinds with high
quality succeed best upon stronger
soil.
He preferred good clover sod that
could be turned under and supply food
for the trees. Would prepare in the
same way as for corn crop, but would
give 1t rather more attention. Recon-
mtuueQ IWtHIy lCtI CuOh W eIy oo q oOcN
distance for setting the trees. Select
good trees rather than cheap ones, as
the latter are likely to be cheap in
every sense. A medium-sized well rip
ened tree with good roots is better
than one very large or very small. Pur-
chase in the fall, cut off all bruised or
broken roots and heel In upon some |
we'll drained spot, leaning the trees at
an angle of as degrees and covering |
with evergreen branches. Set the trees |
in the spring little deeper than they |
were in the nursery, and in light soil |
the bud may be covered with advan-
tage, as it will secure a better growth, |
and lessen danger from borers. Or
dinarily, cut off stems at the height OF
thirty inches and remove all side shoots
unless all of the stem buds have formed
shoots, in which case 1t will be well
to select about four at the points
where branches are desired and leave
these with two buds each. AS surplus
off