St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-12-11
les of careful attention, and Z
III all the elements, nature
Al, necessary to their growth
Invariably do well. l have
III my place, and | have no I
hem"
NOTE BY THE EDITOR.
re is more truth than imag
rsnnrrES Of all tho gpntlanar


There Is more truth than imagination
in the remarks of all the gentlemen above
named. In travelling many thousands
Of miles, the past year, east and west,
north and south, we could not fail to no.
tir, the poor condition of the orchards OF
this country. We say that was the gen
raj rule There are honorable excep-
tions, certainly: and in the grounds of
experienced fruit growers we found all
kinds of fruit trees doing well.
Most OF Us who remember the surface
Of the codntry as it was twenty or thirty
years ago, will be reminded of the fact
that then forests were more plenty, and
orchards invariably did well. Even
peach trees, which now in sections north
of New York and Philadelphia are per-
feet failures, then were thrifty and pro-
iuctive in latitude- as far north rs Mass
achusetts and Central New York. With
the destruction o forests, and the exten-
-ive clearing and cultivation of our lands,
there has come 4 complete change OF
climate, entirely unt;,vorable to the
growth of fruit trees; and Mr. Carpen-
ter's theory of the atmosphere has Il
greater significance than would at first
appear. More than one-half our Or
chards are 80 situated as TO be exposed
to cold. chilling winds at all times OF the
year. and are absolutely unprotected.
rhe ground on which they stand is COW
cred with grass, or else, ii cultivated, the
crops extract a nutriment from the soil,
which should 90 to the support of the
fruit trees, and nothing is returned to fill
the vacancy.
We believe in few very simple theo-
ries, suggested 10y practical experience
and observation
lst. When fruit trees occupy the
ground, nothing else should.
ID. Thorough draining of the soil IS
absolutely necessary.
Sd. Give the roots abundance of
room. When the trees are planted, do
not cramp them into narrow or shallow
holes but let the ground be at least
two feet deep, and the hole from three to
ten feet wide.
4th. Apply yearly in the fall coat
ing of manure. Above all, apply liber-
ally natural manure, such as leat-mCld
from the woods, earth from wood piles,
wood ashes, leaves from the forest, all
mixed up with we'll decomposed earth or
manure frcm the barn yards. Let it
either be dug or stirred into the soil, or
let the leaves rest upon the top OF the
ground and act as mulch.
9th. Let the orchards be protected
from all prevailing winds, especially
those that come from the northwest, and
from intermediate quarters around to the
east or, if on the prairies, against the
cold west winds.
9th. Careful pruning is essential,
which means cutting out all dead or dis
eased branches and roots, and only such
smaller shoots and branches as appear to
prevent the free access OF sun and air to
all parts of the head.
LASTLY Examine at least three times
during each growing season for insects,
and worms or borers, both on the tree
and in the roots near the trunk.
These are all that is necessary to in
sure abundant crops of fruit. The more
natural our care and treatment of tree
is the better it thrives. Especially do
we believe in natural nourishmeut. We
have paid over $50 this season in draw
ing the refuse decaying material of a rail
road wood-pile, to apply around our
fruit trees. We have great faith in 1t.
If all fruit growers will observe the
above precautions, we will hear less OF
sdying out; ;" and our eyes will be glad
dened by return of the former days Of
abundant tfruit.-IndeDendent.