The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1872-08-16
Useful Walks in an Orchard

The farmer who has no orchard TO
walk in, has deprived himself or is de-
prived ofmany of the good things and
comforts of rural life, and his family
are denied many pleasures and health
full desserts. The profits and pecuni-
airy considerations connected with
fruit culture, although important, are
not now under consideration. speak
ofthe orchard as source of home ell
JOyment. We walk forth i'm the CAV
season, in April or May, among the
spreading lines Of orchard trees that
are rcsuming their robes Of tender
green. The white blossoms are al
ready unfoldcd. Delightful fragrance
pervades the soft air, and the busy
bees with their humming music swarm
around the = hitened branches. The
sweet s":.gs Of glecful birds. natures
p"-n,ed choristers, are heard. warb-
mig love and diffusing joy around. lie
who is not moved by such surround
ings may be aptly compared to him
who has no music in his soul.
Repeated walks are not only pleas
urable M this season, but they are also
profitable especially when connected
with little work. Incipient webs of
caterpillars are discovered and de-
stroyed; twig here and there i'm
properly situated, is taken off. The
pocket-knife and the pinching off are
sufficient among young trees. and the
older ones require little work of this
sort that these do not accomplish when
timely trained. A few branches that
rub, and few that are dead. consti-
tutc about all the parts necessary to be
pruned in well regulated orchard,
with the exception of stoned fruits.
which require shortening in. If a
young tree is slow i'm negotiating. see
to the roots. Perhaps grub is there
destroying its vitality. Ii there. dis
lodge him with the point of your knife.
or scald him to death with hot water,
which kills both eggs and worm. Then
mound up the tree two or three inches
with clean clay-kept close. and he is
Kept out. If the tree is too much in
jurcd and exhausted. make large
mound. with an apex of eighteen inches |
or two feet, according to the size Of |
the tree, SO that new roots NAV put |
forth above the injured parts.
Trees that are rough and messy |
should be slightly scrapcd, SO as to re- |
move rough, loose bark, and the stems |
rubbed up and down with water,
according to the age of the trees. and
put on with rag or brush: if little
wood ashes are added. SO much the
better. This Kills insects and their
eggs. and stimulates the young trees.
Soon after this operation, their stems
VIII become as smooth and lively as
Young hickorics.
Clean and thorough culture is the
surcst remedy for insects. and insures
rapid growth: but trees that stand in
slaty and thirsty soils should be kept
three or four inches deep
with well rotted spent manure or lit
ter, which should be applied around
and as far as the roots extend. About
the first of June is the proper time.
I'm his frequent walks among the
fruit trees. the farmer becomes ac-
quainted with their various grow tbs
and peculiarities, and the adaptation
of different varieties TO his soil. Their
wants are noted and attended to, and
the vigilance and care bestowed will
be amply repaid in the luxuriant
growth of his young trees, and the
health and vigor and abundant fruiting
of the larger ones promoted.-7he
Gentleman.