Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-05-12
RURAL & DOMESTIC.
From She American Agriculturist.
Fruit for the NOrlh.vyest.
BIT OUR SPECIAL IOWA CONTRIBUTOR.

VARlETIEs.-Muchf failure and disap
pointment have their origin In the SC
lection of varieties unsuited to tn,
climate. We should have we'll set
tied ideas of what varieties we wan
before purchasing; and in no case al
low the tree vendcr to persuade II.
into buying varieties that have no,
stood the sevcrest test for hardness
of which he may happen to have {
surplus. Certain varieties will sue
coed in certain localities, willie GER
tain other varieties will not. 1t is
true that difference of soil, or ex'
posture in the same County often affects
differently the hardness and product.
ivcness of the same varieties; but
those in the following list, eMbrac-
ing summer, fall, and winter, have
been SO thoroughly tested, and their
value SO we'll established, that i, is
safe to recommend them for general
culture in our State. therefore
offer as suited to Iowa the following.
LIST OF APpLEs.-Summer: Carroll
ma Red June, Red June Sweet, Ear
ly Harvest, Benonl, Red Astrachan,
Dyer.-Autumn: Duchess of Olden-
burgh, st. Lawrence, Fall Orange,
Lowell, Fameuse, or Snow.-Winter
Jonathan, Grimes, which no one SO
well understands as himself.
PLAN OF THE ORcHARD.-After the
trees are we'll set, there should be a
plan of the orchard. This may be
drawn on convenient scale, in a
blank book, having each tree mum.
bered, and the variety named. In
this book should also be kept rec
ord of every thing of interest per.
tanning to the orchard; the manage
ment Of trees; method and time of
pruning, with results; productiveness
and hardness Of varieties, etc.
CuLTIvATloN.-I would not thank
one to put pillow into my orchard
after it has had one years proper cul-
tivation. My practice is, to cultivate
the first year as late as the first OF
August, by throwing burrows to-
wards the trees, r'dyiag up one way,
and the following spring early, seed
to clover, Leave circle around
each tree, eight feet in diameter, and
keep it well covered, or mulched,
with coarse manure, stirring it with
q few inches OF the surface soil occa-
sionally; and adding to it after the
ground freezes every fall. l have
found this plan of seeding to clover,
and keeping the ground loose and
rich around the tree, far better than
tearing up the roots, and bruising the
trunks and branches by blowing. A
heavy mulching in the fall, after the
ground has frozen, protects the sur.
face roots, and keeps the tree back in
the spring, when it is often injured
by starting TOO early. Recollect, my
friend, not to mow and carry off that clio.
Ter! You may turn in small pigs to
harvest it, and at the same time cul
tivate around the trees; which they
will do (when mulohed) IN search Of
the worms and other vcrmin. The
health, beauty, and productlveness o
an orchard depends much upon pro
per
PRuNINa.-If a tree is properly
| managed in the nursery, and taken NJ
as it should be, it should not b,
touched with the pruning knife tb,
year it is set. The shock of trans
planting is all it can we'll bear in on
year.
Besides, the natural top will make
demand for a corresponding amour
of roots, of which the tree may hav
been deprived by removal. and ma
ture will be sure to respond by fur
nishing all in her power. The SECOND
year, in the month of June, use th'
knife sparingly, by taking off suci
limbs as will leave the top low, spread
ing, and shapely. Encourage you
trees to head low, by trimming iron
above rather than below. "Shorten
lng-in" may often be done to advan
tage, but care should be taken not t,
cut back more than one.half of tn
last years growth. It ought neve
to be necessary to cut off larg
limb; but if by neglect it should Be
cut closely to the trunk, and cove
the wound with grating wax.
| DRAwBAcKs.-But the end is no
yet. Eternal vigilance is the pro
of apples as well as Of liberty, TIL
orchard needs constant care AM
watching Gophers, Rabbits, Dor
ers, Bark lice, Canker- orms, an,
Caterpillars, all have their time AM
season, and must be met and van
pushed, or We have no apples. Tn
Gopher is easily stopped by openln.
his hole, and dropping IN q piece Q
apple. or potato, with little stry
chnlue on il. A wash OF COW ma
nure and urine put on thick twic
during the latter part of winter, vii
keep offrabbits. Keeping the G oun
clean around the tree is the best safe
gnard against borers. Caterpillar
aud worms must be hand picked, an
the trees kept healthy and growing
10 guard against bark-lice or aphi.
| All this and much more goes t
make up the conditions Of success i
apple raising. But do MT let these di
ficulties discourage you. Many Z
them disappear as soon as the tree
become we'll established, and the ott
ers are slight indeed compared wit
the Importance of the object sought
Farmers of the North west, do N
let another spring pass without sci
ting out good-sized orchard, If yo
have not already done SO. This
the advice of one who has tried il
and who believes and knows that W
"a" raise apples IN Iowa. S., Pow'
sheik Co., Iowa.
uDAQ8ASA0D AnnsrAD~