Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-01-16
farm \ 9isesidt..
sERiks or PRACTICAL ARTICLES, 1T AN oS-
SERVER IN ONE OF THE GREATEST PEACH
pisTRfcTs OF KENT COUNTY.
wrrrr.s rrrr.ssLr FOE the prllwlrr rrrusr.
No. II.

The next work to be done to the trees is
the cutting off the parent stock. In the
Spring about the month of April, is the pro-
per time for doing this. 1t should always be
delayed however. until the tree has begun
to grow and the sap to circulate freely, for
IL done earlier than this the wound will not
heal properly and the bud will be very likely
to die for want of vitality in the stock
Cutting should be done with one stroke of
sharp knife inserted in the side opposite
the bud and about an inch above, cutting
obliquely upwards, leaving an inch and a
half of the stump on the budded side. This
gives the bud protection, and after it has
got good start at growing, some time in the
summer this dead stump should be neatly
cut off. After the tops are cut there is apt
to be free growth of sprouts from the root
and stump below the bud These should
all be pinched off, so that the bud shall get
all the vitality. Tho nursery will want a
good deal Of attention-the ground must be
well worked and kept clean, the trees kept
growing thrifty, so as to attain good size
for transplanting in the fall, The two ex-
tremes of very small and very large trees
should be avoided. The best fruit growers
prefer tree about five feet high and an
inch in diameter at the but, and the cultiva-
tion should be so regulated as to secure as
nearly this average as may be. Late in the
Summer, and while the trees are growing
vigorously they should be trimmed up about
half way to the top.
Time for Iransplanting Should it be
done in the Fall or SPRING. There are
strenuous advocates for either season. We
have made considerable observation and
consulted large number of growers in re-
gard to the relative merits of Fall and
Spring setting, and find the evidence pre-
ponderates in favor of the former. We will
mention few of the reasons assigned fol
this preference.
1. Farmers, generally, have more leisure
late in the fall than in the hurry and crowd
Of spring work, and can devote more time
and care to the preparation Of the ground
The ground is apt to be in better con
dition, warmer and dryer than in early
spring.
8. The ground being warm and favorable
to roofing, the rootlets start Out freely, ant
the soil becomes firmly packed around the
tree during the winter, so that by spring il
is firmly set and ready to commence grow
ing, and the heavy winds of spring will MOI
twist. lean, and displace them as is fire.
quently the case with spring setting.
I. Trees planted in spring are much more
likely to suffer from the hot and dry weather
OF summer, and very many trees set il
spring die from this cause.
These are some ofthe reasons, and there ar
other minor ones, why we prefer fall plant
ing, and on the whole, we feel free to state
as our belief, that all other conditions ben
the same, an orchard set in the fall, wi
bear year sooner than one set in the spring
About the first of November, or any tim
after the foliage has dropped, The trees ma
De removed from the nursery The tree
should not be out of the ground long a
the roots will become impaired. The ia
root should be cut off, and the lateral root
II very long, should he cut back moderated
It Is found that numerous rooilris snring o,
from the cut ends Immediately, and pen
traiing in every direction draw nutiimer
FOR the tree. Some claim that the rem1yi
Of the tap rsol renders tire tree shol
lived. On this point we cannot speak pos
lively, and give the hint for what il is worl
The ground for the orchard should be put /
first rate condition before the trees are set
the habit OF setting the trees and ploughin
the ground afterwards, is shiftess and mex
cusable.
The distance apart of setting the trees /
variable. We would recommend as til
standard distance twenty feet each way
This gives the tree good chance 10 gro,
large, and will insure room TO drive throur
the orchard freely with wagons to collect til
fruit 1t requires great care and accurac
to get the trees precisely in line each wa,
hut the care should be bestowed as the an
pedrdncc of the orchard is no mean cor
sheraton. Farmers as 4 class, are too lii
lie given to testhttics. As n ching ,
beauty is joy forever, we commend iii
union OF taste with utility, especially wh-
II can be done without delriment to the la
Ter. The holes in which the trees are S,
should be about fifteen inches deep, or dee
enough to set the tree some two or thrt
inches lower than it set in the nursery, al
sufficiently large for the roots to lie in ma
ural position, and not cramped or amm4
together. In removing the dirt, place Il
top soil separate so that it can be put bat
nrst around the roots. Put the dirt ba,
slowly, packing it thoroughly as it go;s i
so that the tree may he firmly set and II
liable to careen.
A little fertilizer will pay well il appli
around the tree at setting, even if the grou
is very good; it gives the tree good st,
and tells well on the growth of the orchal
Any kind of manure that is accessible W
answer the purpose, hut ashes or grou
bone are perhaps the very hest Well r,
'ed compost mixed thoroughly with the d
That is thrown back around the ire, is We
excellent. Green stable manure should
avoided.
management of Orchard The ri,
Iear,-lt is very important that the tire
should get good growth the first year. a
to this end, should be well cultivated.
the ground is not very strong, and il is I
cropped, it should be ploughed about
month OF June-not merely q few furro
around the tree, leaving the rest TO or,
up in weeds, as is too often the case, but /
whole. Later in the season, say about
last of July or first of August, il should
harvested well. In working among
trees the greatest care is necessary to av,
bruising The least bit of bark Knocked
young tree Injuries it seriously, and it
painful to see SO very many trees, in aim
every orchard, that are damaged and r.
dercd almost profiless because of caree
ness in tiling. A short whiffle-tree W
the trace running over the end can be cas-
constructed SO that the tree will ri
smoothly over without tbarking" it; or
end projecting beyond the trace can
wrapped with some soft yielding substan
Ifthe land is good and fertile il NAV
cropped with corn, allowing each tree
take the place of one hill. Various crt
may be grown between the tees until III
hpUip TN haar