Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-11-18
The Prize Essay ON Fruit Culture.
by CHARLES MASON.

by CHARLES MASON.
Farmers Of lama County:-The ques-
ton is often asked; Can fruit be raised
in this County successfully; answer
that it can be if we will do our part
We must obtain suitable varietiesadapt-
ed to our climate, and then we must
take care of them. Thousands Of fruit
trees have been lost by neglect Of max.
ing fences aroand them and also by
buying from irresponsible men such va
rietics as are not adapted to this eli
! mate. 1t is to be hoped that we have
learned wisdom from our sad expert
ence. and will succeed better hereafter.
l have cultivated and raised fruit in
this latitude tor several years and will
try in this paper to give some plain d.
rectlons how to grow fruit here.
FIRST, HOW TO GROW APPLES.
The best place for an orchard is on
high ground with slope 10 the North
or East; but other situations will do if
the land IS dry. The land should be
we'll subdued and ploughed deep. =
Then, if possible, 80 TO the nearest nur-
| sery-man and get good, thrifty trees
three years old is the best age. Have
plenty of good roots left on them
Don't let them be exposed to get dry,
but keep them moist and covered with
something. They should be heeled IN
till they are wanted to set. Set them
IS feet apart, each way. They should
be set the same depth they were in the
nursery. Leave the ground a little
hollow around them and mulch heavily
with coarse stable manure and Guilt
vate the land to some hoed crop, but
don't sow grain or grass among your
trees if you want them to do WE'LL
Thin out the top to balance the loss of
roots. Trim little and often, and then
you will not have to cut off large branch.
es and you can easily keepthe tree inthe
shape you want. The best time to set
an orchard is early in the spring. Sur
round your orchard with belt OF trees
to shelter from the bleak winds of win
ter and severe gales of summer which
beat Oft the fruit.
Iwould recommend but a few varie-
ties for general cultivation, well known
ODE hardy and good bearers, such as the
Red June, Red Astrachan, Early Joe,
for summer; Famous Lowell Jonathan
tor Fall; Willow Twig, Ben Davis and
Domino, for Winter. There are ma.
NY as good varieties that you can OBJ
tam from any honest nursery man If
you wish. Take good care OF your
trees, and you may expect to have
fruit in reasonable length of time.
CHERRIES.
There are but few varieties that
do we'll in the West. I would rec
ommend but three sorts: Eearly Rich
mond, Late Richmond, two weeks
later,) English Morella, two weeks
later still.) They should be set Is feet
apart, and shall be treated the same
as the apple. They do well here, and
every family should have plenty Of
them.
The Plum is hardy and easy fruit
to raise and should be grown by every
farmer. They do the best to be set
where the chickens and pigs run, as
they seem to destroy insects that infest
the trees. Among the best sorts is
the Lombard Miner and Imperial Gage
/ PEARS.
The pear is fruit that can't say
much about as never could do much
with them. They seem to do well
with some and it would be well to try
a few.
/ GRAPES.
This every one should have in abun'
dance. The sorts l would recon
mend are, first, the Concord, the grape
for the million, Hartford Prolific and
Delaware. Some think highly of the
Clinton, but it is a troublesome vine
to keep in shape. For garden culture
spade the ground two feet deep mix
ing the top soil with bottom soil and
plenty well rotted manure; set the
grapes 6 feet apart in the row, and the
rows 8 feet apart. Cultivate the
ground we'll. In two or three years
you may look out for good crops Of
fruit. A good support. for vines is