, 1863-12-19
The Orchard.

and best fruit.bcaring orchards in neigh
borhood has been "let alone" for years;
neither plow nor pruning.knife having dis.
turbed either the roots or branches Of the
trees. And they will also find another
equally productive, wherein has been grown
o rotation of field crops from tho cry first
planting of the orchard. 1t is not the pur.
pose Of this article to renew the discussion
Of ihe subject, but simply to call attention
to Il, and to present the views and expert.
ments Of others, experienced In orchard
culture. .,.
At the last meeting Of the American
Pomological Society, J. A. Warder, Of
Cincinnati, communicated an interesting
paper on Orchard.culture in the West"
and from that part Of his communication
which particularly refers to the treatment
of orchards after the first five years, we
make the following extracts:
When the orchard has acquired sufi.
cient growth, and assumes its condition of
maturity and fruit.bearing, it no longer so
imperatively requires to be cultivated, and
Is somewhat better if let alone: having
been laid down to clover, or clover and or
chard grass, it should be made use of as
hog.waik. No other stock should ever
be permitted to set hoof upon the soil ap.
propriated to the orchard. The swine
alone should be allowed to pasture il, and
to consume the fallen fruit, thus destroying
immense numbers Of insects, and they will
keep these pests In check. They will dis.
tribute theil droppings over the surface,
and they may even be allowed to root in
the soil, TO some extent with their SHOUTS.
Should weeds make their appearance, they
may be moved and left upon the ground,
or thrown about the trees as q mulch; but,
with the close planting that is now gener.
ally recommended, and sometimes practised,
and with the low.headed trees that are so
very much preferred by all who have had
an opportunity Of observing their adyan-
tages, there Is really little space left for
any crop among the trees except grass,
and this will scarcely grow beneath them,
inthe thick shade Of their depending boughs.
Shall an old orchard ever be plowed is |
8 question often asked by those who have
neglected their trees, or who have fallen
heirs tc, orchards Of the old style with
tall trunks, and long naked branches, fur.
'nished only with brush Of decrepit spray
at their extremities, while their roots are
starved beneath an old sod that has been
tfamped and pastured for years. Under
these circumstances, the trees producing on
excess Of blossoms and fruit, having ceased
TO make any thrifty wood growth, may
need o thorough cultivation, as well as
severe pruning to invite o reproduction Of
healthy wood and foliage. The damage
that ensues from breaking tho roots Is then
moro than over balanced BY the renewed
yigor that en- ues. A thorough pruning,
removing the dead limbs, and thinning out
those that are too close, scarifying the bark,
and washing the stems with IN alkaline sol.
uticn, will insure the rejuyenescence Of the
trees, which are then able TO push forth
new roots where the plow had broken old
ones, and with these adjuvauis, and with
tho application Of lime, the breaking upl
and after cultivation Of the soil win be of
Tho greatest advantage to the old orchard.
Sill, Il isia question, whether Il be not bet
Ter to avoid the necessity for this treat.
meht; andit a believed that BY snisable
course, this may BE- obviated. The proper
cultivation Of the young trees does not ma.
terially injure the roots, and II preserves
the soil IN q condition most favorable for
tkeir renewal. In an orchard that has
been thus cultivated, there will always be
4 system Of roots at depth below the
influence Of the plow; these are perma.
nent. III, on the contrary, BY rnulching or
otherwise, the roots have been brought
very near tho surface, the thorough plow
ing may seriously injure the trees by
too much breaking and. tearing of these
important organs here, q. IN other cases,
the less " Two evils must be chosen, nor
can there bo eny question as TO the prDpri.l
ETY. Of plowing in the condition supposed
above, that yf an orchard showing signs Of
docrcpitude from neglect Of pruning, and
want Of proper care Of trees, with q grass
bound surface Of the soil beneath them.
and hard messy bark, so that they afe |
well STYLED hide.bonnd. The condition Of
. thickly planted and well grown orchard,
with low beads, shading the ground, and
mulchsd with the decayinggrass and leaves,
Is more like that Of The 3 ineval forest,
and such trees may be allowed TO continue
for many years without plowing; indeed,
Il may be doubted whether, IL occasionally
lined, they be not really better without |
this disturbance Of their roots. eei
n Al corresnondank rf thaS RnraI Ma,