Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-05-31
farm, 6araen 4 1oasehOld.
cULTIYATINd ORCHARDS.

Apple orchards left to themselves bear or
n on alternate years, with such uniformity,
that bearing years have eometo be segaFd-
ed as The order Of nature, rather than hu-
man device. The trees, ia average soil do
not have alineut enough 70 give fall crops
every yezr. Cultivation and manuring VII
change all this. and give Us remunerative
crops every season. Possibly alanuriDg might
do this even If the orchard we're letl in grass.
Bat the danger is, if the orchard Is ieit I'M
plowed. II win not get the manure.
The common objection offered to plowmg
Is the damage done 10 the roots Of the trees
We have no doubt that an orchard might be
,lowea 50 deeD and 50 near the trunk Of the
trees as 10 damage il past hope Of recovery.
But discretion is to be used, and the ploE IS
to he kept so near the surface under the
trees, as not to break of the large roots. il
has also been ascertained that grain crops arc
not good for orchards. We have known or
chards to be made barren for several years in
consequence Of a crop Of rye. Grain eros s.
unless buckwheat be an exception. take from
the soil what the tree needs, and shade the
land too much. Root crops are the Elost de
sirable, because they require a good deal Of
manare and thorough tiIlage to make them
profitable. The frequent stirring Of the soil,
and the fertilizers, are the wants Of the apple
trse. and the root crep enables the farmer to
give these 10 his orchard, and al the same
Time he Is remunerated for his labor.
Potatoes, carrots, beets, turpips, ara all
good crops for the orchard, if you put on ma
uure enough to make them pay 4 surplus
nusl be left in the soil to make the apple
crop. But viii an orchard thus fed bear eve
ryv vsarg We have no doubt Of II. The apple
crop may be made as sure as the root crops
We once plowed up beneath an old apple
tree that had an iaveterate habit Of bearing
only every other year, and planted Tith pa
tatoes, mauaring literally. We had full
crop Of apples the second year, and shall al
WAYS think the manure and the cultivation
made the change. Horticulturisis who make
specially Of apples, and manure every year,
succeed in getting crops every season with
very rare exceptions David Lyman, Esq. Of
Middleheld, Conn. stated, at . recent meet
ing of the State Board Of agriculture, that he
cultivated his orchards. and got crops every
year They we're not always flll crops. bat
were enough to pay for the trouble. Judg-
ing from the appearance Of his orchards,
which we visited few years since il the aP-
pie season, we think that very modest state
ment. We have rarely seen 50 fine a show
Of apples, even at the county fairs, as could
have been gathered from his trees. The Sc
cret Of his success is cultivation and manure.
and reasonable watch against the eucroach-
ments Of insects. The blowing late in the
fall as vel as IN the spring, he thinks 3 great
safeguard against their depredations. Null
titudes of the chrys2lides are unearthed and
destroyed. Ifthis was attended to, and the
windfalls picked UP and fed to the pigs. We
think there would be little damage from the
attacks of insects. The apple is 50 fine s
fruit, and SO easily kept, It. Is so much both
food and luxury, that no pains should be
spared to keep our orchards in the best con
dition. We are tired Of seeing apples quoted
at s. a barrel, but even at that price they are
much cheaper than piils.-4Dssrioan 4gri-
ruIfltrist