Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-09-15
Cultivation of Fruit.

county desiring information regard
ing fruit culture, I have thought
that would give my mode of set
ting, trimming and cultivation. In
the first place would advise all to
purchase their trees in the fall; bury
them, say . or feet under sandy
loan, letting the tops remain above
ground until it commences to freeze
quite hard, then cover the tops
about one foot deep. About the
last Of April or first Of May set the
trees out in holes about three feet
in diameter and two feet deep. Set
your tree so that it will stand about
six inches or foot deeper than
when taken from the nursery. Sc
lcct and prepare your ground as if
for good wheat crop; choose an
elevated position, and in setting the
trees place the roots in a natural,
roomy position, and with your hand
work the fine soil well among them.
TO those who still persist in dig
ging post holes for their trees, and
kicking unbroken clods down upon
the di ,torted roots from motives of
haste and economy, let me suggest
method much cheaper and just as
productive of success. 1t is to
sharpen tie h.unh, riM az are and
drire It into tie gronna.
Leave the branches growing near
the ground. as it allows the action
Of the wind upon the top, instead of
swaying and wrenching the trunk.
and exposing it to the sun. Head
in or shorten the top to encourage
spreading growth. Trees of this
growth are less exposed to the ac-
ton of the climate. and will allow
the fruit to be gathered with less
trouble and in better order. Tie
ground should be kept fertile, mel
low and free from weeds BY thor
ough cultivation. TO this end it
may be planted with hoed crops.
These should not be those liable to
grow so high or be planted so near
to the trees as to interfere with TIE
growth of the orchard. | find it
highly beneficial to surround the
trees early in the spring, before the
frost leaves the ground with a heavy
mulch of decaycd straw or other
material. This rctards the action
Of the season upon the trees, until
the extreme changes o: temperature
common to this season are past.
Since the exercise of careful dis
elimination among old varieties and
the Introduction Of very many kinds,
OF western origin, gratifying re-
action iY public sentiment has Ia
rehpsn( a -it-y esflaiR that !,
fruit in the West can and wilFbe
raised in quantity and variety suffi-
cient to satisfy any reasonable wish.
/ will give the names of some va
rietics which l set out last spring.
Notwithstanding the summer has
been very dry and hot, they are all
living except two trees out Of $50:
Red Astrachan, Carolina Red, June,
Yellow June, Fameuse, Sweet Pear
Apple, Maryland Red Streak, Fall
Winesap, Colvert, Red Romantic,
Tallman Sweeting, Yellow Belltiow
or, Golden Russell, Stark, Monthly
Molly Lucy, Benoni, Duchess Of
Oldcnburg, Ben Davis or n. y.
Pippin. These trees all appear to
be very hardy and are doing well.
When cultivating your trees be
careful not to bark them as it some
times causes them to dry up and
become worthless. After cultiva-
ting take hoe and dig all the
ground loose around Your trees,
then hoe it up about them as you
would potato hill. By so doing
| three or four times dun ing the sea-
son you will save all or about all Of
your trees. 1t will keep the ground
dry and warm in a wet season, and
cold and damp in a dry one. 1fany
Of our friends who are in the bust
ness of raising fruit will give us
their methods of culture, and at
what time Of year, they will be
thankfully received by the readers
of the Bulletin.
Very respectfully yours,
JoHN G.. LIFTS.