Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-01-28
farmer's department.
From the Cotton Planter and Soil.
THE FRUIT ORCHARD.

We do not mean when we head this article.
to only converse with those who have acres
in fruit trees-but to all who have single
apple, pear or peach tree. 1t is good time
this month to look over the trunks and limbs
of the apple, pear or peach tree. If the
bark of the tree is rough and mossy, there is
something at fault in the food. The earth
should be carefully removed from the roots,
and its place flied with rich virgin earth,
with some strong wood ashes. If this cannot
be got, fill in with old we'll rotted manure,
Take an old knife and scrape the trunk clean
of moss, and all parasites, and give it rub
bing with soft country soap. Examine the
limbs ftbe pear, if they are found wilted or
shriveled, cut them back to sound wood
Remove the earth around the base of the
peach tree, and if black gum is found ooz-
Ing from the roots, scrape it carefully away
and probe the wounds with a sharp knife,
long white fiat worm will he found, which
has caused the gum pour boiling water into
holes where the knife cannot reach, and on
the gum being removed, to kill any of the
worms that may be concealed, fill in around
the tree with fresh earth. There are many
fruit trees standing in yards and gardens,
that yield but poor return of fruit, from
the fact, that their falling leaves are careful
ly swept away, and they have none of natures
food to feed the next crop of fruit All the
leaves that have fallen in the orchard, should
now be worked in the soil, they may De
worked in with light plough, but near the
tree, should be turned under with pronged
fork to prevent cutting the roots lfthe soil
is poor around fruit trees, there is no crop
that pay better for manure. The question
will be, how to WORK the manure under,
without mutilating the roots, for it is the
surface roots of trees, that feed for the fruit,
hence the Importance of planting fruit trees
in soil naturally rich. But art will over
come almost every obstacle; fork up the soil
around the tree as far as the roots extend,
(and they run horizontally, as far as the
limbs extend from the ground,) and apply
liquid manure; this may be applied at any
season with safety.
No time should now be lost in planting
out fruit trees. More than half of the trees
planted, are ruined by being planted too
deep. Deal only with such nursery men as
take them up with care, preserving all their
roots, and plant them just as they stood in the
ground, with all their lattcrals spread, and
not one inch deeper than it stood in the nur-
sery. Ifan orchard is to be planted, it should
be we'll sub.soiled and the holes for the
roots, dug twice as large as the roots extend ;
good surface mould should be filed around
the roots. All bruised roots should be cut
clean before being inserted in the ground,
and if the tree has lost much of its roots, the
top should be cut back to correspond. DO
not be anxious to plant large trees. \ tree
as large as the little finger, is more certain
to live, and if grated tree, will produce
fruit quicker than one as large as the arm.
Plant the tree firmly at once, and not rely
on romming it afterwards. If the soil is
we'll siftcd around the roots, it cannot be
rammed to firmly at once-the little rootlcts
which arc to be it's feeders, will find some.
thing to hold upon, and will 60 to work I'M
mcdiately.