Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-04-02
Orant County 8erald,
Orchard Location - Selection and Treatment Of Apple
Trees,

Trees
The experience of fruit-growers in the
State Of Wisconsin has settled beyond
question the propriety Of selecting the cool
err aspects for apple trees, instead OF the |
SUNNI. warm slopes. Northeast, north,
northwest, and even west, are all good
perhaps the FIRST is the most desirable; al
ways on elevated ground. Tops of ridges
aro uniformly good, if dry. Trees that
have been planted in and near the bottoms
save generally failed. A wind-break Of
.lmber on the cold sides Of the orchard
should not be lost sight Of ip the location.
IS It is Of great importance The soil
should not be wet or retentiye OF moist
ura.
PREPARATION or soiL--DTGGING HOLES.
Perhaps there is nc question oftener ask
ed than "How shall dig my holes %
This question was asked Dir. Warder, one
of the first horticulturists of the country:
His reply was, dig them the size of your
orchard" If q plow can be run through
throwing out twelve or fourteen inches
deep, followed by subsoiler the ground
will be dug enough, except TO throw out
art for holes of sufficient size to
admit the roots without cramping. Iu abb
sence Of implements to do this, the work
mist be accomplished by digging great
holes; or by repeated blowing, throwing
out the fuuows right and left on the line
Of the row, and by similar plowings Of
rows running across; the trees will thus
BE placed at The point the fnrrogs cross,
as in planting corn. This method has
been recommended, and has the advantage
Of g SPECIES Of undertakings. Care
Should be taken or by this process the trees
will be set too deep.
SIZE OF TREEs-PRUNING-c
Roors MUST NOT DRY - RUINED BY
FREEZING.
Many put off planting apple trees till
they ought to haze a bearing orchard, and
then out Of shame, OF lack of judgment,
want large tree5-in fact trees of bearing
age and size; and perhaps, are out Of sorts
with the uee-grower if he cannot or will
not furnish them trees Of that description.
Another class who wish to make additions
to or fill up orchards already set, some
times commit the same error, 10 aiming to
ret trees 10 match their old ones. Most
of the reliable fruit-growers Of the coun
try agree, that two to four year old trees
are worth more to the purchaser than any
older age, and will bear nearly or quite as
soon. 1t usually takes three to six years
for trees to attain bearing capacity after
transplanting, not much difference at what
age this is performed. Again, measure
ment of the top Of the tree determines the
dimensions Of its roots: and who would
expect tree, man or animal, if the limbs
and extremities were Topped off, to e0er
become as perfect as before? Here lies
tie main difficulty with large trees the
entire root cannot be secured, and to pre-
serve the equilibrium the top should be
cut off in proportion to the loss of root
And tho larger the roots and branches, the
proportionaby greater will be the damage
the tree must sustain.
OF course piece-root-grafted trees should
te eschewed in toto CollQr or neck
grated trees with perfect roots,Qnd budded
trees are only valuable. After purchasing,
buyers should make it a point not to lei
roots dry: keep them in wet hay, straw or
earth, ill set No after treatment, howey-
er good, will entirely compensate for the
loss Of even the fibrous roots. Frostne
or freezing Of the roots is ruinous: should
this occur, place them Immediately in soil
to thaw out, by which means they may
perhaps be saved.
The roots that are cut, bruised or bIok
en-, should be cat off smooth with sharp
knife, with a sloping cut on the under side
Shonen-in tops at setting, to suit amount
u root; afterwards, pruning should only
be done the last of winter, or after the ris-
ing Of tho zap in june, and then barely
enough to keep the top uncrowded and
symmetrical Crotehes cannot always be
avoided, as many kinds viii not grow 9th
erwise; but the branches may be tied 10
prevent splitting, by twisting or winding
together two small shoots from such crotch
ed branches. In two or three years they
will grow solid when the ends may be
cat oil, and all danger from this source be
,obyiated.
SETTING, STARING AND MULcmNG-RocK.
As before remarked, lie. the holes be OF
size to admit the roots naturally, and allow
the tree to stand little deeper than when
in the nursery. With the hand carefully
crowd fine DIRT among all the roots, and
when tho hole IS half filed with dirt, pour
in mart of n Bail OF wafer As Il settles.
the dirt will set 70 the roots, when the hole
lnaY be filed. The tree should be made
10 incline little 70 the southwest, good
stake set on that side, and the tree tied
a3Ih a hay or straw band. Place and re-
tain about The trees a mulch Of straw or
manure.
Wo have long siece suggested the prob
able advantage of stone and rock to fruit
Trees, especially on very sandy and deep