Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-08-20
Aarifultnrd1.

~ " L l u. I I - = - a s..-H
TuS Hou-rcuLruRisr for August is on our
table. From nm article on apple orchards,
by l. Durand, Connecticut. we make the fol-
lowing extract. The writer is sp aking Of
old orchards which have become mossy, full
ofdead branches, aud uniruitful
"Now what these old orchards want, is a
thorough reuovalion in the shortest possible
time. The irsi thing 70 be done is 50 cut off
the old top of the growing trees and set on
anew one by grating This can be done
best 5v the common mode Of cleft 1raftng.'
Those limbs Ihat are the size Of a hoe handle,
or an inch and hall in diametcr should be
selected, as they soon heal over, making the
limb sound. Tic CRATER should commence
in :be top ofthe tr'n " saw of limbs, and so
work down takii q care 10 graft every tier q
under iis.bs al longer distance from tu5
trunk, SO that the gratis will have plenty Of
room to grow and not interfere with each
other TO have this work done in business
like manner requires three handsome to
saw off the limbs and pare the stocks a.
mother 10 set the scions, two in stock ;-and
the third baud 10 put On The wnx. AZ old
trees that have a good sound trunk, however
many dead limbs they may have, should he
sawed and grated But many old trees re-
quire different management Some, by bad
pruning, have groKn lhcir old tops up very
high. To graft these old tops at such dis
tance up, would be a difficult job al the
same time they would make an unsghtly ap
peasanes in growing. Such trees should be
'headed down'-.that is, the large limbs
sawed off at such distance down the tree
that when the new shoots pul out they may
form handsome top. These sprouts, il
they are Of thrifty growth, may be grated
the second season, or 'budded,' as the case
may be. Old large trees of slow growth
should not, in all cases, have their whole top
taken of at once as The shock may kin them
But in these cases the south hall of the tree
might be taken off first then, say in two
wears after, the north hah could be treated in
the same way, aud the tree saved rs IL
the time Of pruning apple trees, it may be
done any time from May to October but /,
should be done regular every year, and thcn
only small limbs will be taken Of; but in the
case of old, neglected orchatds, more or less
OF large limbs must be removed About all
the tools wanted are sharp hand-saw, fine
pruningsaw and pruning knife. 1t will be
well 10 have the large wounds covered by
composition of gum sheac, dssoged in alcho
bol to the consistency of paint and put on
with brush. This, think, is as cheap anC
as good composition as can be had FOX closing
the pores Of the wood-also protecting /
from the weather. The best grating wa!
/ have ever used is that made Of four parts O
rosip, two of beeswax, and one Of tallow
melted together and kept in an iron kettle
In ON ordinary sunny day, the kettle, standin!
in the sun. will gather sufficient heat 10 keeI
the wax in good working order. This wa!
will not meltiD the hottest weather neither
will it crack and come off in the coldes
weather, but it will re main on the stock two
or three years, or until it is entirely healed
over Another thing which should be done
ct the tinia Of pruning is, the trees should'be
scraped ent.ely OF moss and rough bark, by
tree scraper. This can be done best di-
rectly after heavy storm, as the bark and
moss then will be in the right condition 10
come off After this cleaning, a wash, made
RON wood ash ye, or potash water, should
be NJ, GU the trunks and large limbs, which
will kiII a., ''nsects and larvae, giving TO the
bark smoo,l, appearance. The 'scfapers'
may be had at a,.,y q! the implement stores
at cheap rate.
III were to advise NttcTher to plant a
new orchard or renovate an o,>i one, should
say renoyate the old one first, by a. means'
because your labor can be made ~ cay a
great deal quicker on the old orchard tba.' 10
the new. In from three to four years tinle
your newly grated trees will begin to bear,
and so continue to increase from year &c year
while at the same time you have made a
handsome Improvement on the stock Of your
orchard. Old orchards that are kept perma-
nently an grass should have the soil dug up
around the trees every season; and if done
as far as the branches extend, it will be all
the better. Manure should be dug into the
soil occasionally, as the case requires Where
orchards are near the 'piggery.' it is good
plan to let the swine have the run OF the
orchard through tie warm season, as tney
will eat aud desHcy most Il the 'Gindfal!s
under the trees, and also keep the soil stirred
up in search Of worms, &c. Much is being
done at present, by farmers and culiyators
in setting out young orchards. This is {
commendabie work. and shows that the righ
spirits Is at work among our farmers. Bul
the setting out Of young orchard, and thcr
letting the trees take care Of themselves, is a
loose business which TO many cullyators still
follow TO their own loss"
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