Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-06-20
agricultural.
Sears ON Orchardina.

oharding.it may be plowed and manfred
Iigbt erops that will not shade the
ground should be grown. The ground
should not be plowed so deep as to dis
turb the tree roots. The crop may or
not be rotated with grass. Too much
animal manure should not be used. a
generous supply of compost muck lo'm-
inc the base. is better In case of cul-
ture the trees should be mulehed. After
trees extend .heir tops cease cultivation.
but mulch and use the cultivator.
An orchard may be successfully grown
on good soil, or soil well prepared, with
out cultivation. Our strong. rocky lands
that cannot be ploughed, are frequently
best tor Orcharding. Mulchng is the
ne plqs ultra of tree growing. Our old
soils are bereit OF their vegetable mat
ter, without which no tree can flourish.
Animal manureS gorge, hut vegetable
gives health ana vigor.
All vegetable matter is good Tor mulch
muck, hay. straw. weeds, vines. coarse
grass, leaves. turf. rotten wood, ShavingS,
spent tan. tuIningS. saw dust. &c, &c.
Apply any OF all these materials rs a
bundanlly rs your means will allow. Ii
Won do not crop your land, NOW what
ever grows, and put it about your trees.
Do not require your land to bear but one
crop. II is better. however, TO pasture
sheep or hogs in your orchard. II You
have sheep pasture along side, open
the fence and coax your sheep TO inhabit
the orchard rs much as possible on warm
days, stormy days and cold nights.
They will kill all weeds and unclothe
your land TO receive the sun and dew.
They will hover about Your trees and
enrich the soil Hogs are good for an
orchard. Ifthey root. let them root--al
the better Ashes and lime should be
applied If you please, apply, occasion.
ally, few bushels of animal manure
about each tree under the mulch. An
orchard treated in this manner will be
healthy, thrifty and productive, which
are the three great things.
Many old orchards, by age and neg
lect, have reached that point so that it is
not profitable TO attempt their resurrec-
ton. 1t is, generally, more profitable
to expend money on young, than old
trees.
Twenty bushels OF manure worth = 90
and 500 pounds OF mulch worth $500
viii bring young tree to its bearing age
IS years. This expense upon an old
tree will not restore It to its yout hful
vigor The young tree will be worth
four Old ones.
Yet there are some old or chards, or
some trees in them, if they bear good
fruit, that may be improved proitably.
The trees may be pruned OF such limbs
as cannot be sustained, and thoroughly
scraped in the spring, in wet weather.
They may receive an application of ami
nal manure and mulch. What weeds or
grass grow about the trees may be used
as mulch; or, what is better, sheep or
hogs may be turned in.
1t is bad 10 pillow old orchards so deep
as 10 cut the roots Orchards which have
not been plOwed throw their roots near
the surface, 81 there i danger in deep
blowing. II would be profitable To pillow
very hgh-hackle the ground, a. we
sometimes say. Then use the cultivator
literally. half dozen times a year, 50 aS
10 keep down the graS- and weeds
Then the earth will receive The revivilt
ing influences of the sun, light and dews.
If grass grows in an orchard. the dew
collects upon il and it is lost to the soil.
In summer iallow of land the dews i'm
prove the soil. Hon. 5. Z. Benson says
he would not allow his orchard plowed
and MANFRED without cost to himself
He says. ''mulch, mulch, mulch."
The results OF mulching are varied and
very beneficial 1t keeps the soil moist
in dry weather. Ii is more beneficial TO
dry soils, and to newly set trees. on this
account. \ man neglected to mulch
three trees. They grew Tat halt rs much
as others, and The leaves tell month be-
fore.
Mulch clothes the ground, and pre-
vents it from freezing hard. 1t will save
many tree when the snow blows oil,
and the ground freezes hard
Mulch kills the sward a small amount,
especially if applied in warm weather.
will Kill the grass. Even a board or shin
giles will produce this result.
Mulch makes the soil light and perme-
able, 50 that heat. light, air, dews and
light rains will enter it readily If tree
roots are bound with a sward, the tree
cannot thrive II is said that the roots
breathe; that is, they breathe in or par
take OF the above kindly influences
Mulch conditions the soil for this process.
Mulch shades the soil and il becomes
rich. Whenever ground is shaded
chemical action takes place beneficial TO
the soil Thus we find the soil enriched
where boards, tim Der and stones have
lain for some time.
Mulch when it rotS becomes manure
vegetable manure most beneficial 10
fruit trees. 1t is Just the manure lluit
trees require, and without which they
cannot flourish, especially on our plowed
fields. We have seen muck mulch in two
years, bring out fine, fibrouS roots from