The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-06-21
.ctor the Jarmers.
-, From the Genesee Farmer. 80
MANAGEMENT of Orchards.

~ The management of orchards is a matter OF
no trivial Importance to- this country at the pre-.
sent, time. Thousands of acres, of the best land
are planted with fruit trees, and large amount
of capital has been expezded in their purchase
and ,blanting, and whether this land has been
RIGHTLY appropriated, AMI this money judciously
expended, ,.depends entirely upon future manage
A.ment. Many people have embarked IN this, as
in otherPusuits, with spirit and enthusiasm. '
They-prepare their ground, plant their trees,
take good care Of them probably for a year or
two until their enthusiasm begins to cool, when
some new hobby is taken up, and the orchard is
lost sinht of, probably @seeded down." and LETT
TO take care of itself with the occasional assis-
lance of cattle, sheep, or hogs, that may be turn:
ed in to pasture among them. Thus "seeded
9 down. and cropped, and bruised, and barked by
animals, starved for the want of suitable and suf
ficient nutriment, the trees become stunted, mos,
sy covered with insects and, in short, nuisance.
:, This is the actual history of many an orchard
Z we know of this day, and thousands and tens
5 of.thousands of dollars have been lost to hard.
working, economical farmers; and:to the country,
g.by this very system, if we may 50 call it. Gar,
: dens are managed not unfrequently in the same
Way. !, A great manyeimpulsive sort of people
rush into fruit culture and gardening this sea,
son with all the Enthusiasm Of devotees-one
would suppose to hear them talk, that garden
ing would occupy their attention largely to the
end of their lives, but next season we will fud
them with not thought of gardening, all the
improvements and expenditures of last year neg
lected and lost Need We caution people against
snch folly? We fear We need, and yet every
wear we can see greater degree of prudence
manifested in the matter-plans better matured
and having more the appearance of reality and
pernanence These spasmodic efforts will grad
ualIv disappear as people become better inform
ed and enter upon improvements with more cor
rect views and prospects. -,
But to return to orchards, to which we pro-
nose to confine our present remarks. We must
beo of cultivators not to entertain for single
moment the runous practice OF seeding down.,
If YOU think you cannot afford it, or that it vii
not paw to give your orchards good clean cu
ture until they have at least attained full bear
ing condition, dig them up and burn them, and
convert your lands at once and completely into
corn fields or pastures, as it may seem fit. You
NAV RELY upon it, that you cannot have more
unnroftable or discreditable piece Of property
lhan starved neglected fruit tree. How is it
nossible that a young tree can thrive in pas
ture or tough sod ? The young roots near the
surface of the ground that are really the most
important as furnishing the better portion Of the
food of the tree, are robbed by the grass and
weeds, and die out, leaving the tree to find its
entire support through the deep roots that are
beddel in the poor cold subsoil. In such sit.
nation, a tree Immediately loses its vigor. 1t
beo;ps to look feeble, old and gnarly, fungi and
insects take possession Of it, and there it ends.
It is surprising to people who have not obser-
we'd very closely the results OF various modes o.
culture upon trees, how soon young trees sno"
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