Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-04-24
No. 81.

ty transplanting into hard ground, and total sub
sequent neglect. But of those which survive,
there are undoubtedly not one-tenth. that make
half the growth they would attain under good man
agement. We have seen whole orchards of vounp
peach trees smothered to death the first summer by
heavy growth of meadow grass which nearly en-
veloped them. A far larger number, however, are
ger year after year with slow and feeble growth
Now, this tardiness is altogether Unnecessary
Peach trees as far North as forty-three degrees,
have been made to yield the third summer from
transplanting, three pecks of peaches, and apple
trees the fifth summer one bushel each. An emf
nent pomolgist now living in Western New York,
set out large fruit garden after long years had
silvered his head with whiteness vet for the past
twenty years he has annually enjoyed profuson
of fruit from this identical fruit garden. The Sc
cret consisted simply in treating his trees as well
as every good farmer treats his corn and cabbages
But we cannot afford to give so much atten-
ton to our trees-the rich man only can do this
says the laboring farmer. What, not afford to be
lconomieal1 The man of small means is the very
person to save his trees after he has paid for them;
he is the very man who should not spend his coin
to have feeble and fruitless orchards Let him
buy half the number, and apply the other half of
the purchase money in taking care of what he has,
and he will soon become the gamer by the opera
ton. 1t is however great mistake to suppose
that much expense is needed. Enriching the land
is largely paid for by the heavy crops of potatoes
carrots and rutabagas which grow between the
equally heavy and more valuable loads of ripe
fruit profusely yielded afterwards The expenses
OF blowing once year, and narrowing four times,
is perhaps not half the first cost of the orchard to
say nothing of the annual crops afforded, while it
soon renders it quadruple the value of the neglec-
ted plantation. Why do not farmers apply the same
wit and wisdom to the management of their orch
ards that they do to their corn and clover crops-
Why should they not, when many who fortunate
ly have already full grown orchards, get more in
monied value from them than from ali their farms
besides
The difficulty is rendered greater in most cases
by the very inconvenient machinery used for plow-
ing near the rows. A plow drawn with a two
horse team, with double whifie-trees, cannot safe
y approach nearer than three feet toa tree and eve
ry plowman breads a task which is commonly atten-
ded with mutilated bark on one hand, and wide
grassy balks,'' on the other. A great improve
ment is made by placing one horse ahead of the
other, with short single whiffe-recs especially if
the draught traces of the hinder horse are consid-
erably heightened to allow running to right or left
a wide error is committed in cutivating orch
ards by those who forget that roots extend far be-
yond the circle measured by the branches The
whole surface of the ground is covered by the net
work OF roots, where full-grown trees stand 90 or
80 feet apart. The larger and more obvious roots,
it is true are near the base of the trunk but all
finer ones, which SO largely contribute nourisE-
ment, are spread at great distances Hence all
orchards which have made some years of growth,
should have the whole surface cultivated and kept
mellow, and not narrow strips small circles just
at the foot of trees.