Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-04-19
| Soluble Silica,
Organic matter,
$50 O1OO
400 2.1OO
10O.65 10I.1S0
IOO.65
10I.45O

BY this table it will be seen that potash
and lime enter largely into the composition
of the sap-wood, and bark of an apple tree,
and as bearing tree is very exhausting to
any soil, it necessarily follows that large
amount of lime or ashes is necessary for an
orchard No intelligent cultivator can ex-
anime this analysis without at once seeing
the Importance of lime or ashes, as ma
nure for an apple tree. We have seen trees
highly cultivated and MANFRED, grated with
well known varieties of apples, that produce
ed fruit so poor and worthless, in success
sive years, as to be pronounced by expert
enced poinologists counterfeit, and not the
true sort,--in one year so changed by lime
and ashes, leach applied TO separate trees, J
that it could not be recognized as the same
variety; in one case, nearly worthless--in
the other voted unanimously by fruit grow
ers, the best apple they ever tasted.
All new soils in New England, contained
a large amount of alkalies, which was one
reason why apple trees grew with such Wig
or, where old or young trees will now scarce
grow at all. Another reason why young or
old trees do not now flourish, is want of
vegetable matter in the soil. If any one
wishes to test this, let him take two trees !;
plant one in a new soil just cleared of the
primitive forest, and another in a similar
soil, which has been thirty years cultivated /;
and although the LIST soil may be in as good
condition. or even better for ordinary pur-
poses, he will find his tree y i'll grow three
times as fast in the former as in the latter.
Another reason, is a want of drainage in
many cases. There are thousands of Or
chards in Vermont where the soil, once so
loose and porous, as to readily permit all
surplus water to pass off, has now become
so compact as to retain much water, making
what may be called wet soil. Orchards
standing on such soils, (and they are nu-
merous) should first be thoroughly drained /;
without it, it is little use to attempt to i'm
prove them.
The last reason we shall give, is want
of cultivation generally. An apple tree
covering space of perhaps four square rods,
and producing eight or twelve bushels of
apples, must exhaust the soil more than any
cultivated crop; and as most orchards are
treated, if no other causes were wanting,
the trees must necessarily die Of starvation.
Having stated what we believe to be the
cause of the general decay of orchards, we
will, as Doctors say, prescribe remedy
If the soil is wet, or if from any cause wa
ter is retained any time in the soil, first
drain it thoroughly; as standing water near
the roots, is runous to all fruit trees. Or
chards that are used for pastures, should
once in two or four years be plowed under
the trees, keeping the ground loose and ad-
uniting air to the roots. As no part of a
farm is more neglected than an orchard, the
first thing to be done is to manure thor.
oughly. For old trees apply bushel o
saked lime, or ashes, to each tree, and plen
ty of long stable manure, with peat or swamp
muck, or any coarse vegetable matter, ano
cultivate the ground as thoroughly as for &
crop of potatoes or corn. After being once
well MANFRED and cultivated, a top dressing
of long stable manure or swamp muck, with
refuse lime or ashes, yearly, will keep it in
good condition.
1t is not best to plant or sow crops unde,
the trees, but to give the soil as far as the
branches extend entirely to the use of the
tree; cereal grains or tall grasses are ruin
Gus to orchards. If used for meadow
NOW the grass under the trees often, anc
let it rot on the ground, to prevent evapora
ton from the soil.
After an orchard is thus thoroughly ma
nured and cultivated the next season
commence operations, on the trees. Scrapt
all the old bark from the bodies and large
limbs, and with large brush or broom ap
ply ashes and water to the bodies this viii
destroy insects and give a healthy appear
ance. Whtewashing with lime is Away
bad for tree, as hard crust is left
AS the trees will now be in CROWN.
state, they can be grated successfully
which cannot be done with scrubby, uncul
tivated dormant ones. Commence graft
ing by removing at least one half of the top
and the whole of the centre, which alon
should be grated this season. This viii
increase the growth of the lower branches
so that the next season, they can be graftet
successfully; the third and fourth season
any limbs left should be removed, or graft
ed, so as to present an entire new top.
There are thousands of old trees in ever
/. section of Northern New England, whc
: are covered wirh dead and dying limbs, an
: healthy, vigorously growing sprouts. Thes
= are generally thought TO be worthless, whe
, in fact, they are the best kind of old tree
: for improving and grating, and are fin
SUBJECTS LOT the praCtlcdl STUDY oi 'eBetaoI
r Physiology. No tree throws out sproul
from the roots, body or branches, Will
7 healthy, and the appearance of them is
: sure indication of disease; and, like all di
= eases, the sooner it is attended to, the be
= ter. If we examine the roots of tire
i, which yearly sends up suckers, we sha
: find them rotten in the centre. If we e,
S anime the body or limbs of tree covere
o with sprouts, we shall find it rotten at Il
: heart. If these sprouts are yearly removes
= the tree will gradually decay and die. If
: PARTON of them sufficient to form a new tc
e are retained, and a severe yearly pruning
}, the old limbs is given, the whole of the o
n top may be removed in five years, aud
= new, healthy, bearing top formed. SProu
$ thus growing from limbs are much lil
If those from roots, width are often planted i