Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-12-01
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
FIBLD AND PIRESIDE.
How to Trcat an oId Orchard.


Editor Parol -ialeytcan All through
New England aud the middle States casual
observer may see apple orchards, either in u
dying condition or else bearing crops of small,
gnsr!y fruit, that should be in a healthy state.
aud annually yielding large crops of luscious
irult. Farmers say that they can not raise
apples after few years tho trees give out.
aud they either have to cut them down and
plant young trees, or else give up the business.
Now 1t is well settled physiological principle.
that plants and trees cease to be thrifty when
the necessary ingredients that are required to
render them 50 have been extracted from tho
soil. 1t, duyinsa period of ferty2ore 6Fes,
years, apple trees have been allowed to exhaust
the soil of its potash, lime, carbonic acid, ETC.,
which analysis shows these trees require,
without any steps having been taken to
keep the supply good, it is not to be
wondered at that orchards should have an old
and dead look to them. No man would plant
potatoes forty or fifty years in the same field,
and expect that he would get good crop each
year without manure. Why should not a
similar result be looked for in an orchard /?
Again, it may be the case that the ground
where the orchard stands needs draining
Too much water at the roots will as surely
Kill the tree as want Of proper food : and when
both are the case, prompt action is required.
Having found out the cause of the disease,
the next thing is the proper treatment to be
adopted. If the land is wet, it should be
drained if possible, then plow thoroughly and
dig up the sod around the trees, that the plow
does not reach. Prepare a compost of ashes
orslacked lime, muck or other coarse vegetable
matter, refuse Of drain from the sink, ETC.,
with as much stable manure as may be ueces-
sary, apply literally TO the soil. Each year
therealtergive good dressing of muck, ashes,
or any thing you have that possesses fertilliz-
ing qualities. The next year after plowiug,
scrape off as much of the old bark from the
limbs and bodies of the trees as can be con,
venicntiy reached, and give them liberal
washing of ashes aud water which will cause
them to have healthy appearance. Now
you can begin to saw OF all the dead branches.
and see that they are cut close to the live
wood, and paint the stub with some presery=
alive mixture. so that the bark can form over
the edges. You arc now ready to graft
Remove rs much of the top and center of the
trees as may be desirable, cutting off the old
limbs when practicable, aud only US many of
the new shoots us may be necessary, aud graft
only this the first season. Each season there
after cut OF and graft portion of the remain.
ing limbs, until all have been graiied and N
new top formed. The trees are now in good
shape, and if not too far gone when the treat
ment began, you will soon be repaid for all
your care and labor, by large crops ofluscious
fruit. The writer has seen old orchards That
had not borne any thing but pig apples" for
years, under similar treatment brought To
yield fne crops of the best quality of fruit.
Z! MERRIAM,
Mercer County, Pennsylvania.