The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-03-17
Letter from Judge Murdock

its numerous readers upon the subject Of fruit grow.
ing.
Having had rome experience in the culture Of the
Apple, have often been solicited to give to the public
whatever facts may have to my knowledge in re-
laon to it, and as the season Is approaching for set
ting out trees deem the present, through your per-
mission, fit opportunity for doing 20.
The disastrous effects of the two winters preceding
the last upon fruit trees has caused many pcrsons in
Northern Iowa to despair raising the apple here
with success but trust shall be able with your kind
assistance to convince such persons may this
clc, that the apple be raised here with great sue
cess and profit have heard many theories advanced
from time to tme to the Of the terrible des
tructon Of apple trees in the last two year, but none
seems to meet appreciation well the following
which give for what it is worth During the two win
tiers speak Of remarkable storm Of slcct occurred
driven with great force by the wind, and in both
followed by extreme cold weather unknown this eli
mate.
The storms came from a southerly direction, and
driven by the wind the scct adhered closely the
trunks OF all trees and frozc Tight forming perfect
glazing of clear Ice from the ground up to the trunk,
and closely did adhere to the tree that was i
possible to jar it of in any manner without taking the
bark of the tree with it. There it remained in both
too upon the most tender side of all trees the south
side During the daytime with what little heat the sun
afforded this coating Of ice expanded while during the
extreme cold nights it contracted and thus by cxpan
sion and contraction the bark became loosencd from
the trunk leaving cavity between the bark and the
trunk the burning hot sun of the spring, shrveed this
bark and left the without its natural covering and
of the disaster greatest among the most ten
der varieties and among the most thrifty and fast grow
ing kinds, and where Of variety killed. all of
that variety shared the fate without single
ception, far my observation extended, the
verEs being equally true.
The apple tree upon own soil grows rapidly and
fast growing trees always more tender than slow
growing trees, seasons short, much that
our forests are not permitted to transform them
selves into the syellow leaf Is the in the
southern climate. The apple tree is often compelled to
part with its green foliage almost within hours
tice and not unfrequenty after snow storm, and at
the very time 1t is forming wood to resist the rgor the
winter which is to follow. Almost every tree which
has suffered from the Of these storms has first
been affected upon the south sde the direction whence
these storms came, and this is always considered the
most tender side Of all trees, and when the
not killed outright and still ngers this slset has
left its mark still plain to be upon every apple tree
whether dead or alive.
Root grating is the most common mode adopted by
many men, not only because 1t Is the most easy but
because 1t il in the end the expeditions and profit
able this mode produces thrifty and rapid growing
tree, and in few years ready for selling, it has been
crowded BY cultivation, and is Of very tender
when Il transplanted it is again planted upon rich
SOIL and again crowded by cultivation until partakes
more Of the Of vegetable than tree, and is
thus prepared for early and . premature decay,
through the action Of cold and frost. True,
trees will stand ordinary winter but experience has
taught US olook out for extremes for later
they come.
The came variety Of fruit grated seeding stocks,
high up would grow less rapid far earlier and be less
liable be injured from the effects extreme cold and
resist the effects too of the storms have mentioned
Out Of many trees which have mentioned, have new
which killed, when it was grated upon
seeding stock, where at the time have to-
tai destruction among seedlings themselves, q gen.
eral thing, however seedlings have fourishcd better
than grated trees, yet have recently visited orchard
Seeding trees of several years bearing which had
suffered more than many grated ones have !;
and those which still alive and bearing presented
q girded appearance; the bark being gone in large
spots here and there upon the south side of the trunk
One more storm like the two have mentioned and
these too gone ut any rate they are short lived and
they timbered soil at that. What, often
claim could resist the effects of such terrible winters
in close proximity such thing is unknown In the
civilized world, and man, beast and vege
table still looks back with horror upon tho scene, and
when reflect that the dis has occurred to
the apple tree to greater less extent throughout
the fruit growing regions of other States still take
courage and replapt my orchard.
The first thing to be taken into consideration by the
farmer is to purchase live trees for unless this is DONE
no matter what the varieties are, he will raise
apples and for the last two years live trees have been
hard to find Nearly all the trees which have been
offered for sale in river that PERIOD
dead before they left the nursery, died after
Out of one lot of about three thousand which ex-
amined last spring, aud which were for sale, only
found about twenty-five live trees, and found other
lots as bad. These trees all sold at high price
to the farmers in the country region of country
extending west and north Of US for hundred aud
fifty miles, as afterwards discovered in travelling
through my district, and l do not recollect
having in the two years single live grow
ing from them all.
do not like to be uncharitable, and believe am
not think it is not my nature to be 80, but
times think these knew those trees were dead
when they sold them.
1t is easy to tell live tree from dead one, or
which will grow from which will not grow. Exam
inc the small limbs Of the tree, and if these appear to
be shrveled, or the bark wrnkled them then such
limbs will put forth leaf and the body be still
green and good, you i'll have to depend that for
new limbs, which il the season is dry Is failure, and
new shoots do make their appearance, it is generally
about the first of July, when the season is too short
Tor them to mature wood, and they kill at about 10
degrees below Zero. One out of twenty-five may do
WELL but 1t Is long time in coming to bearing tree
Next cut of small twg from the top with your knife
and If the tree is alive and good the sap will immcd
ately gsten behind the knife from the cut, if it does
not, depend upon the tree is good for nothing, OBJ
serving at the time the trunk for sometimes that
Is entirely killed, when there Is still sap enough in the
imbs to send forth its leaves but this injury upon
the trunk can be readily with the eye, for the
cold always leaves its mark plain to be SEEM and looks
as if the bark has been scorcled with hot iron.
tree should present the lively appearance from
the root upwards, trees which appear dried up, and
those whose trunk have been winter killed, often
alive and green for five six inches above the root
little and examination will easily the con-
trat between this part and the whole trunk and
this contrast manifest the tree is bad and will
grow except to send up perhaps several suckers from
the root which rarely ever produces permanent tree
These hints followed, there is difficulty In making
live selection. Care should be taken to select trees
with good roots, having the most fbres running from
them for these the life of tree. Never let these
fbres be exposed for single hour to the for by
this they are shriycled up, and many Of them
can never be resuscitated, should they be allowed
to freeze, which is sometimes done while removing them
from tho ula nf If
nights Of March and April.
The time for setting trees in this country, l.
the frost is out Of the ground the sooner the BETTER
md shon ha sat and