Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-04-13
Tle Culture of Fruit.

modes are adopted for preparing the soil
for fruit trees. One is to reduce the ,-hole
surface to high degree Of fertility By
deep ploving or trenching and manuring,
and the other is to dig large holes and MI
them with rich compost mixed with the
returned soil. Each Of these modes has
it advantages. In fruit gardens, proper,
where trees of1uick or rather small growth
arc set as near each other as circumstance
will admit, it may je best to prepare At
once the whole surface; but for extensive
apple orchards, where distance Of 50 or
10 feet in.crvene5 between the trees, and
when many years must elapse before they
cover the whole surface, it may be suf-
iicient to enrich at first the soil in the i'm
mediate vicinity of each tree
The most perfect way for preparing the
entire surface Of the soil is trenching by
hand to a depth oftwo and L4if to three
feet, working in inanr-e at the sane time
But as this mode is only fitted f1r very
small portions of ground, larger may be
well prepared by means of the sIb-soiI and
trench plow. The soil may be loosened in
the first place to depth Of twenty inches
by large subsoil plov drawn by strong
team. After being thus looseued, double
Michigan plow will inyertit to any desired
depth, aDd assist in the inteTmix,arc OF
large quantities of manure, which should
be as finely broken with the harrow as
practicable, before turning under Thus,
by combined use Of tie sabsoil and trench
plow, and by free use Of the harrow, a
deep, rich, and mellow bed os earth may
be formed for the reception Of the tree
Well.rotted manure or compost is best if
the tree. arc to be planted Immediately,
ba. fresh manure will answer provided it
is torn to pieces, finely pulverizei, and
thoroughly intcrn.ixed with the soil b. re-
pea.ed harrowings. On clayey eround,
nothing is better for this purpose than :hc
simple instrument known as the "drac-
roller" 3
In ordinary case, it may be sufficient to
dig holes in this mellow bed Of deep soil, /
only large enough to receive the roots Of
trees without crowding; but where very
rapid growth is desired during the frs.
years after 'ransplantiug large holes, several
feet in diameter, are to be dug aud f.ici
with richer materials
When the whole surface ca7ro. be ire
pared in this manner, large holes should
be dug, and filed with rottcd manure and I.
Garth, intimately interulixed. No frs
manure should ever be allowed 10 come in
contact with the roots bus If veil incor-
porated with the soil, it may be placcI in
the outer part of the largo holes for the
roots TO peuetrat c as they extend their
growth. BY preparing holes in this way
seven or eight feet in diameter, we haze
found the young trees to make growth
for the first four years at least triple that
Of trees SC: in common good soil with holes
Just large enough to receive the roots.
In setting out large apple orchards, it
may not be practicable to subsoil or trench
the entire ground. Large holes may be
dug as just described, or a strip of ground
for each row eight feet wide, may be pre-
pared by subsoiling and manuring, taking
,are in all cases that the manure is well I
pulverizcd and Incorporated By repeated
larrowinGs. This mode is particularly ;
adapted to cl'yey ground, the .urrow which
s made at each row operating as a drain
o carry off the water which would Other
wise settle and freeze in winter about the
'oots. For this reason it will be import {
int to place The rows in descending di- I
'cction; and the drainage will be facilitated q
~ laying little brush in the bottom Of q
he "dead furrow'' before it is filled with :
he plow, along which the surplus water c
vill soak away. .-a t
DRAiNING.-The assistance to drainage I
re have just spoken Of, must not be un- I
erstood as suPcrseling the necessity of !
borough undertaking. There are very c
cw soils which would net be greatly bcne. t
tied BY l., and to many, even those sup
osed to be dry enough, i. is absolutely ?
ecessary. Many thousand young trees {
re yearly lost in consequence Of setting n
hem in ground that retains more or less 1t
.agnant water, although dry on the sur s'
zee and many thousand bearing trees Al
eccme stunted, mossy, and yield scrubby n
ruit from the same cause. b
DISTANCES, AND LAYING OUT THE II
laying out ground for trans al
lanting, It's absolutely necessary to know
be proper distances for each sort. II too 10
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