The Hickman courier., 1869-02-20
For the Hickman conrier.
. For the Hickman Courier
Something about the Treatment
OF Old Apple Orchards..

=
Mr.. EDIToR:-For the last b years
| have given some attention to rear
ing and cultivation of fruit trees, From.
obserya ton l have. come. te. the eonclu
sion that many of the disa 4rs to fruit
in this locality, such as size, unsightly
shape, knotty, specked and premature
falling of, may be attributed the treat
ment which orchards receive.
In the frs place, the, tire Elere not
pruned regularly, Gin fact noi ht aN and
the consequence is, so much jgood Sccu-
mulates, that the tree is barely al\e to
sustain life-and-in many instancN l
have seen trees that had died from mo
other apparent cause, than exhaustion.
The proper number of main branches
should be turned outAhen the tree is in
its infancy, but as this has been neglect
ed, the saw and knife has yet to be APP
piled, and to an extent thatknany persons
ignorantly object They mink that the
more limbs and brush, III more apples.
That may be the casd Tor few. years.
but the fruit soon deteI ,brates-both in
quantity and quality and not unfre-
quently the trees die, Al ia most generally
cease bearing. Beside, when the proper
number of large branches only are left.
lis but small job, at the right time, tc
prune an orchard if it is done every wear.
Fruit to perfect itself must have air and
sunshlne-a free passage of both through
the entire crown or top of the tree, is
very essential. qsssn s-v---,...
! Secvndfy, the soil of many orchards
has become SO poor that there is not
enough of the productive elements in it
to sustain a vigorous growth OF the
trees,-another source from which arises
serious defects in the fruit. The idea OF
manuriDg trees may have entered the
heads of some owners of orchards here
abouts, but don't suppose one in ten
have ever done such atthing. A little
labor is only required. Stable manure
is the best-but if that not to be had in
sufficient quantity, then to the woods,
aud by the sides of rotA Apg logs there
may be found rich mold (which mixed
with leaves, makes one of ! le best com.
posts that can be applied to fruit trees
But this is work aud much trouble,
say many. OF course it is. Did you
ever have anything without "work an6
trouble p The application, OF manfrrt
should not be made once onh in a a. ar
ter of century either. n shoul bt
applied every two OF three y ars q id il
plentiful quantities, that the fouga MAJ
be filed with all the necessary eiement
to keep up thrifty growth sSsthe tire,
and the complete perfection OF the fruit
} 1t is not unfrequently the case tha
! orchards are planted on old worn ou
} lands and the trees arezleft to take thei
, chance to live or die. Aud the chance i
: death. ss IS. ..es err
: Thirdly, the manner of Guilty Ing i
generally wrong. That orchards need
2 proper cultivation no one acquainte
J with fruit trees will deny. But to get a
, the proper mode and time, is the ques
Ststion- l am very certain that great harm
d done to old trees by culdvating cor
year after year among them. The prin
cipal harm is the plow. The plowman
5 careless in breaking up the ground, lay
e ing off the corn rows, and the after cu
I tiyation of the crop. Can tree do niue
$ in the way of producing fruit whilst
J, roots for four months oSskxa
at the most improper timS5
J, cut to pieces by the rlaxs
Senate chamberfaaoo
assured 1 shall Z
! cases in favor of Il dis,sstd II