American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-05
Agricultural.
ORCHARDS.

Wncn tho ground occupied by an
~ chard is uneven aud not dt aimed. the |
tees on the dry knnlls. will be larger
nnd healthier. and will yield more ..
hundant crops than those in the wet
lfolluws. aud this in spite "f the fact tina,
the soil in The hrlo"s is Deeper and
richer. Orchards should always BE-
drained.
In selecting q si,o for an orchard N
choose hillside in preference 10 q
valley divided by a small stream. Warm
low intervals of Isud are mors subject
To- untimely ftosts than the neighboring
elevations. AS tho night air becomes
chilled, it's density inc, eases, aud il rolls
down tho hillsides aud settles on the
fats, where the prevailing stiffness fa.
vors the process of freezing. During
tho mild. sunny days of winter, fruits
trees ave more liable To DO swelled pre-.
matnrsly. on low bottoms. One who is
IN the hal "friding over broken piece
of country in c"ld, still nights. will not
need /" be told that the lowost temper
AZURE will DO found in the lowest local..
ties.
Frui, trees will he less likely TO suf.
fer from cold weather when the ground
they stand upon is thnrnughly drained.
The fruit grower wh" sutie,s his trees
10 stand all winter in letters If ice, has
no right I" complain if his garden il u.
verstocksd with grated pes.brush.
PRUNING.
Many fruit growers pruue ton much,
cutting away all the low branches, so "a
Il, 4
der stem. fully exposed Ia all excesses
II heat and cold. d,yurss aud dampness.
Let q tree be allowed To have it's own
way, and il will be surrounded in sum.
rner with breast work Of fuliaCe. The
lower branches and spray will break the
force &c winds in winter.
The objection that low branches are
hIndrance 10 blowing. is only another
reason why they should DO suffered To
rcmain. Among the many epemi-s of
fruit trees, none are more destructive
mnd remnrse!rss than The pillow. Ii dnes
incurahle mischi"f by breaking roots,
hrni,ing bark, aud muilating branches,
~ pl"w ought never To pass nearer t. a
trnit tree than the tips Of it's lowest
branches. Let the spade h- used in
lnosenins the soil. aud removing the
grass close about the trunk.
gardener once planted an extra siz.
ed seckel pear tree. with a long poker
r>h stem, for which an extra price was
pad, with The hope that it would WELD
'1rge and Immediate returns. "A neigh.
""r's cow s'roilrj in at the open gate,
and gave an abrupt lesson in tree cul-
''re,by swapping "f the long hean pole
IF seckel about TWO feet from tho
ground. The trees owner tiled to DO
resigned to this Vandalism. The tree
';se!f was more than resigned; it WIS
glad of it. In the spring it made haste
/" IePairits shattered fortunes by throw.
ing 0ut "A circle Of vigorous shoots, and
forming round compact head. near
enough 10 The grQuHd To withstand the
violence Of nigh wind, and proving by
us annual and abundant crops. thar a
marauhiug cnws accidental pruning nav
BE mOrs philosophical than that "f men
~ho boast OF their skill and careful Oh.
ssrvatiou.
MANURIHd.
Fruit trees will be- better prepared to
encounter the hardships rf winter if they
are supplied with enough Of wholesome
aud congrDial food during the summer
months. Farmers we'll know how much
easier II Is To carry their stock through
the wiater satisfactorily if they are in a
good condition when winter begins
The same rule is good respecting trees.
They should be- fed with specific man.
utes. An analysis Of the ashes Of the
pear tree will show % pats Of potash.
81 parts Of phosphate Of lime. and IL
parts Of lime. The pear tee in grow
ing state, hungnrs after these psr,icu.
lar elements. Feeding it with BAN.
ya'd mnnu,es will cause an unhealthy
snccuien' lnxutiarce, wholly unfit TO re-
eist the attacks of cpld. Bones, ashes
and lime. with dec,yed vegetable mat.