Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-03-05
Preparing the Soil for Apple Trees.

FEW soils in their natural state are in a
suitable condition for the reception of
apple-trees. New land is certainly far
preferable to that which is old and par
TALLY or wholly worn. out, but neither are
in proper condition for an orchard, and
some thorough system of preparation
should be applied to them before being
used for fruit-trees. The method of pre-
pairing soils should be varied according to
their nature, if naturally deep and rich,
then good, deep plowing is all that will
be absolutely necessary. But those per.
sons who are about planting young or
chard should not forget that years of time
may be gained by bestowing little extra
care at the start, and that trees in thor
oughly prepared soil will be as far ad-
vanced in five years as those which re-
ceive but ordinary care viii be in ten. -,-
All soils, whether new or old, rich or
poor light or heavy, should be worked
deep, for herein lies the fundamental prin.
ciple ofall good and successful gardening (;
and good farming and orcharding is but
gardening extended. tits not always nee.
essary or advisable to invert the soil to
great depth, and thereby throw the poor
subsoil on the surface, but to loosen up the
soil 70 depth of one foot or more is bene-
ticial to all crops, no matter how small or
delicate.
There are soils which do not require
deepening, but they are the exceptions
and not the rule consequently, we leave
them out of the list under consideration
AT this time We will suppose, for in
stance, that a farmer wishes TO plant an
apple orchard this spring upon soil that Is
rich enough for that purpose, without ap.
plying any .fertilizing materials whatever I;
and, further, we will suppose that he
knows enough about apple-trees not to
plant them in a swamp, or in ground so
stony that II cannot be cultivated neither
will we expect him to turn over an old sod
that has not been plowe6 for years, and
use such land for an orchard until the
| tough roots of weeds and grass have be-
come, at least, partially decomposed. But
We expect that our farmer will plant the
trees in the best soil ON his farm, pro.
vided 1t is favorably situated and is natur.
ally dry and good.
The first thing TO be decided is the dis.
tance .spart at which the trees are TO be
planted-whether twenty, Ave, thirty. or
forty feet; the second number will afford
room enough Tor varieties of moderate
growth, but where the land Is very rich
and not too expensive, more space may
| Dt hu0WeNs
Lay out the ground by driving a stake
st each end Of the space to be occupied by
row OF trees, then plow the land into
beds OF the same width as the rows are
apart commencing exactly in the middle
between the rows, and back furrow Just
where the trees are 10 be planted. PlOw
as deep as possible in the dead faTrows /;
going through three or four times viii do
no harm, but much good.
Proceed IN the same manner, until the
land - be occupied Is all pl0wed, then
put on the harrow and pulveriLe the soil
as thoroughly as possible, then plow il
again, and turn the land back in Its former
position.
IL more thorough preparation can be
afforded, then the land may be cross.
plowed In the same manner. By adopt
ing this system Of preparation the soil Is
broken up iine, and len with On even sur.
face, whIle ia greatest depth win be iuS,
where the trees ere 20 be planted. u the
aESt plowing can be done Ia the Oil Of tAs