Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-01
Cultivation OF Orchards.


Apple orchards left TO themselves bear
only on alternate years, with such uniform
ity, that bearing years" have become to be
regarded as the order of nature, rather
than human device. The trees, in av-
erage soil, do not have aliment enough to
give full crops every year. Cultivation
and manuring will change all this, and
give us remunerative crops every year.
Possibly manpring might do this even il
the orchard were left in grass But the
danger is, if the orchard is left unplowed,
il will not get the manure. The common
objection offered to blowing is the damage
done to the roots of the trees. We have
no doubt that an orchard might be plowed
30 deep and 80 near the trunk of the tree
as to damage it past hope of recovery.
But discretion is to be used, and the pillow
is TO be kept so near the surface under the
trees as not to break off the large roots.
Il has also been ascertained that grain
crops are not good for orchards. We have
known orchards to be made barren for
several years in. consequence of a crop
Of rye. Grain crops, unless buckWheat
be an exception, take from the soil
what the trees need, and shade the land
too much. Root crops are the most de-
sirable, because they require a good deal
Of manure and thorough tillsge TO make
them profitable. The frequent stirring Of
the soil and the fertilizers are the want Of
the apple tree, and the root crop enables
the farmers to give these to his orchard,
and at the same time he is remunerated for
his labor.
Potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, are all
good crops for the orchard, if you put on
manure enough 10 make them pay. A
surplus must be left in the soil to make the
apple crop.
But will an orchard thus fed hear every
year ? We have no doubt of it. The apple
crop may be made as sure as the root crops.
We once plowed up beneath an old apple
tree that had an inVeterate habit of bearing
only every other year, and planted with
potatoes, manuring literally. We had a
full crop of apples the second year, and
shall always think the manure and the cul-
tiVation made the change. Hortieulturists
who make a speciality Of apples, and ma
nure every year, succeed in getting crops
every season, with every rare exceptions.
David Lyman, Esq, of Middlefeld, Conn.,,
stated at a recent meeting OF the Board of
Agriculture, that he cultivated his orchards,
and got crops every year. They were not
always full crops, but were enough
10 pay for the trouble Judg.
ing from the appearance of his orchards,
which we visited few years since in the
apple season, we think that a very modest
statement. We have rarely seen 50 fne
show of apples, even at the county fairs, as
could have been gathered from his trees.
The secret of his success is cultivation and
manure, and a reasonable watch against
the encIoachments Of insects The plow-
ing late in the fall as well as the spring, he
thinks great safeguard against their depre-
dations. Multitudes of the chrysalides are
unearthed and destroyed. If this was at
tended TO, and the windfalls picked up fed
to the pigs, we think there would be little
damage from the attacks of insects. The
apple is so fine a fruit, and so easily kept,
it is 80 much both food and luxury, that
no pains should be spared TO keep our
orchards in the hest condition. We are
tired Of seeing apples at 81 per barrel, but
even at that price they are much cheaper
than pills.