The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-14
Greni,s stats 9rl'rna'.
TUESDAY EvE'e, MARCH. ID, 1877
FRUIT AND ITS CULTURE.


Almost every day something new is d's- I.
covered. and in this age Of progress, when
it is important for every man 70 KNOW
,ba shortest and best way to do every
,h;no ;e he is not informed and does not
keep up with the times, on the fruit sup
;eet If be is farmer or gardener, nc
will certainly be laid upon the shell LOT
want of means to pursue MS BUSINESS
There are many old farmers, who know
the value of fruit, who have during their
lives promised, year after year, to give
this subject more time and attention. put
when the time comes, each year is but
the repetition of the other. The land is
not properly prepared, it is too wet or
it is too dry; the weather is too cold; 'ne
trees are not at hand; and SO on, the
reasons are heaped up one on the other'
which results in no orchards and no FRUITS
There are several points in setting out
an apple orchard which must be duly con-
sidered if good fruit in abundance is ex-
nected The first thing is the kinds OF
frut. Due regard should be paid to the
eating, the cooking, the drying, the CIDER
and the keeping qualities OF the apple
Then the adaptation of the sorts whicn
may be preferred, to the latitude and SOIL.
Then proper preparation Of the soil, and
the wav the trees should be set out, is very
important. Next in turn, is the impor-
lance of preserving the tap-roots. Some
nersons saw this root is of no use ana
some 20 so far as to say that 1t does more
harm than good. These philosophers are
in error. and before the subject is COM
Melted, our readers will see they are. The
next important point to be considered Is
the way the trees should be trimmed in the
nursery, before they are lifted for sale.
There is difficulty in the way here to
contend with. We expect to show that
fruit trees of all kinds, but particularly
apples, should have their lower limbs as
near the ground as possible. The difficult
ty referred to, is prejudice. People have
so long seen trees trimmed up from the
ground, higher than mans head, that an
orchard with its lower limbs almost touch
ing the ground would present very unin-
yitipg appearance but for all that, 1t Is
the true form for the fruit tree. This VIII
be shown also before the subject is conclu-
ded. The land for an orchard should DC
thoroughly plowed, sub-soiled and harrow
ed it should be made rich, with a view
to growing grass, in addition to the frui
trees. Mixed manure, that is, the manure
from farm animals of all kinds, with which
muck should be mixed but a spec'h'
manure for the tree directly, is that takel
from the hog-pen. About bushel an
nually of this, when the tree is two year
old, to each tree spread around, though no
touching it.
Planting the trees right is the most I'm
portant part of the work in setting out al
orchard, that is, if one part could be NOR
important than another. They should b
forty feet apart, if the grass crop is mat
ter of consideration but if the fruit onl
is desired, twenty-five or even twenty tee
is an abundance. The holes should
dug for tree two or three years old
and none should be older when set out
about eighteen or twenty inches in DIANE
ter, assuming that the ground has bee
sub-soiled, the earth in the bottom OF I'll
hole should be enriched with any well no
ted vegetable manure mixed with sma
quantity of bone dust. The tree should
set about as deep as it was in the nurser.
The earth, or rather the rich soil, shou
be piled up aud packed tightly around IL
tree, about two inches abore the le7e
This dirt, after the tree has grown a yea
and the roots have taken firm hold, mu
be scraped off down to the top OF the tir
horizontal roots. These horizontal root
if allowed to be deep, will prevent t
tree from bearing well, and, what is MOI
the tree, as natural, will throw out 9th
roots near the surface, which causes t
destruction of the tap-root; aud the she
life of the tree is the consequences. PlaI
ing posts around each tree, and tying
tree to them, is not the best way to pl
vent the injury which trees receive frt
high winds loosening them in the srour
1t is better, in addition, to packing
earth as Just stated, to cut out of pi
of plank, two feet long and half as wi
yoke or collar large enough to p
three.fourths round the body of the tr
at the surface, then lay another piece
plank by its side, when stones, billats
wood, or weight of any kind should
placed upon them. Nature, upon
principle, holds the tree firmly in
ground, and we surely are pursuing
right course when we obey her dictat
OF course, these planks and weights are
be removed, when the earth, referred
above, is scraped off. Just here it wo
be well to mention two little things, VIII
if not attended to in time, may result
very large things:
First, in selecting the trees, be carr
tbax ORR not bi-forked for trees fOru