Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-03-18
From the Cecil Wing
Planting, Culture and Management of
Peach Trees.


Mn EDIToR AS | am confined in my
domjcile by rainy weather and bad roads.
| thought | would communicate to your
numerous readers few thoughts on tho
planting aud after culture and manage
ment Of Peach and other Trees have
an orchard, II years old, which has Civ
on me for three years past clear gain
of $500 per acre each year, but it now
shows indications that it will not last
much longer.
PLANTING Lay off your ground at
right angles, . feet wile take large
! plow, run 4 deep furrow each side from
the line where your trees are TO be plant
ed, then throw out the middle with one
or two burrows, as the case may require,
which will, with little cleaning out,
two feet square at each cross, be ready
to receive your trees, which should DO
set about one inch deeper than they orr
ginally grew After the orchard is plant
ed, mulch tho trees for two or three feet
all around about two inches deep; then
take your large plow and throw the fur
rows which you first threw out back to
the trees, and that will cover the mulch
ing and leave the burrows to carry off tho
water that would otherwise stand about
the trees and injure the fbrous roots -
This all being done, your trees are ready
for the winter, and very much question
the roots freezing all winter under this
treatment; thus you will insure an early
start in the spring. The mulching will
act as a feeder, both for nourshment and
moisture, in the spring and summer
| Couture. The ground should be cul-
tiyated in corn, potatoes, or beans, for
three years and after that period nothing
should grow in the orchard but the trees
1t should be cultivated, and kept as clean
aud fine as a cornfield
TREATMENT or THE TREES. The trees
should be wormed every year. and the
second wear the dirt should be taken
away from the trees, and a shovclfull of
Of wood ashes thrown around each tree
when the trees are six years old take
the earth from the trees and off the roots
for two feet OUT worm we'll, and scrapc
the bodies, from the roots to a foot above
the ground take a scrapcr like vessel
mast scraper and scrapo all the rough
bark off the trees then make a solution
Of strong pickle and quick lime have it
Of the consistency of thick white-wash.
and make a moa Of sheepskin and mop
the trees well from the roots up foot
above ground; do this in the month of
May; let them remain 50 week, then
throw back the earth with plow Trees
will not require anything more done to
them but good cultivation and liberal
manuring Everything likes rich earth
PRUNING should DO done in May and
June, but not in the winter as is the
/ opinion Of some fruit growers. will
/ give some reasons for Spring and Sum
mcr pruning. If you cut off a limb of
any size in the Winter, the bark dies
around the stump from which the limb
was cut, and docs not, for a long time, if
ever cover the stump; whereas, on tho
contrary, il cut off in May or June, when
the sap is in full flow, it will go on TO
grow, and if not too large, cover the
stump the first year. The tree should
| be trimmed well out Of the middle, so m
to give the tree and fruit air limbs that
incline to grow straight out, should be
cropped or shortened, 80 as to give the
tree an upward tendency. Trees should
be trimmed up 50 that team Of horses
can work under them without barking
the limbs; single trees should be muiilod
50 as to prevent barking.
In cultiyating trees, the earth should
be thrown from them very.othcr year.
that is when you begin to plough your
trees, begin in the middle Of the rows.
and when you get near the trees take out
one Of your horses, and plough with Il
single horse, thereby you can get very
near the tree, and the earth you cannot
throw from the tree with the plough.
should be taken away with the hoe; and
On the contrary, when you throw the fur.
row to the trees it should be done with
one horse. a { least two burrows should
be thrown with one horse. The plough
ing should be deep, so rs tho roots may
find moisture in time Of drought.
The foregoing is the way that have
treated my trees, and every one who has
seen them, says that they are the most
dourishing, and the largest trees they
have ever seen. have young orchard
which shall treat in the same way.
H. SEMASs.