The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-01-12

Apple 0fSAAzda 'ss=s
W.. Keller, near MAdlsonville, II
the vicinity of Cincinnati, b . notet
orchsrdi6t. HehAg 90 frtnes fines
orchards la he coen1ly. Acommit
tied ifSnd fepofted On sdAG &ttsst
The following Is IN abstract:
Many years ago, when quite boy
while assisting his father In the nur
sery, grating pear trees In the stock
Mr.. Keller remembers observing th.
three buds of . scion he Was inserting
He noticed that they had . peculiar
arrangement, and that they dlvidel
the periphery In three equal parts
further, that II these all grew, ther,
would be three Nlnbs arranged - radi
from the centre or point Of branching
in the tree.
Without, knowing anything abop
the beautiful and interesting iae6 o
phylotaxy. and with no kind teacher
70 point them out to him, the boy Oh
served the fact Of tfe arrangement
and. by after thought and observation
worked out { part az least s'of thl
important deductions dependent upor
the definite ARfAn8ementsOfl leayea ant
buds. He found these conditions u
TO the relations Of the buds were t.
be seen In the apple shoots, and upoE
this he has based his theory and prsc'
tics, which will now be presented
TO the Society. 3ggfIJqs CgE
The phylotaxy of the apple being
taken as Is, that b II We count from
any bod upward end downward along
the shoot, We shall observe spiral ar.
fangement Of buds, and that we may
count three buds bsibrS W. find one on
exactly the Same side Of tho axis n
the bud from which We started, and
that In the meanwhile We have made
one complete circuit ofthe spiral, it will
be manifest that any three buds will
occupy one circuit. The whole journey
expressed in degrees, Is 800, ! Of which
Is LOO, 90 that the whole circuit il d.
vided by these three shoots, which are
to form the the main limbs Of the ftl.
ture tree, and each one starting nom
nearly the same point Of the axis,
will have about the same strength,
and this they can maintain by having
an equal space, light and air for their
several development.
After repeated aud long continued
observations Mr.. Keller insists upon
four feet as the proper point to form the
heads of his apple tree-no more, no
less-nor does he discriminate with
different varieties and their varying
habit. At this height the shoot Is cut
off, removing the terminal buis with
as much Of the shoot as shall bring
the tree to four feet, and at that point
he allows the head to be formed, care
fully removing all supernumerary
shoots near the three, and subordina-
ting the side branches that appear be.
low, but not above, removing them,
because they are feeders to the stock
and roots, without disturbing the
growth of the permanent arms above
them.
These three limbs, as they grow,
throw out branches, most of which
look outward for light and air others
soon die out for want OF ofsupport-they
are smothered., With varieties or
regular and moderately open ia bit Of
growth, the result will be perfect, and
all that Is claimed. There is no cross
ing of limbs, no superabundanee Of
branches, no need OF trimming, and
the fruit being fully exposed to the
light and air, will be well developed
and highly colored. A very little
watchful care and attention to the
young and growing trees may, howev-
or, be very properly bestowed upon
them during their tender years
to equAllse the force and growth Of the
triumvirate, checking those which are
too strong, ENCOURAGING the weak, re.
moving young shoots that might in
terfere with their neighbors BY being
too near In future years. When the
result Il pertsct, tho tree IL made up
Of three equal parts, each Of which,
with Its lateral branches, forms . uat-
ural ladder, sufficiently open to allow
the fruit-gatherer to pass through It
and harvest the crop without any DIFF
fculty.
Unfortunately for the theory a,
based upon the arrangement of the
buds, tho phylotaxy q the apple 10
normally Is, and only Exceptionally
10. Usually two circuits OF the spirsl,
with fiye buds, are nsceeeAry TO bring
US to tho same side Of the shoot, or
twig. This 10 By fAe the most COMMON
form, and for illustration, let rs take
this bundle Of fourteen scions Of the
Gloria Mundi apple, which happens to
be on the tables. In these elk have
the spiral turning tekhs right (dextras),
and the phylotaxy b Ia, while eight
in the ssme buadle, Of the Same va
riety, taken st rSndom, have the Gin
istrA arrangement with %. In two
varieties, out nom the nearest trees,
we find In one the spiral Is sinlstral
2, in the other Is dextrJa, and 2 5.
But this need not effect the practice
which has been originally based upon
an observation of the fact of the
phylotaxic arrangement Of the buds,
since, without any such theoretical
origin but from the attendant circum-
stances, the starting Of three shoots #
equal strength, enAnAting from near
the same point, and kept to three by
the removal Of all others, especially
weaker growths, cannot very we'll fail
to result IN three matn branches or
limbs of nearly equal size to form
the head OF the tree, and these, with
their laterals, will each be very apt to
occupy shout one third Of the head OF
the tree. ~ - tlA -
Without feeling prepared to adopt
as . necessity the precise, height OF
four feet from the ground as the only
point at which to form the head Of tn D
tree, OF whatever variety and habit,
your committee desire to express
themselves highly gratihed by what
they have seen and learned In this In
vestigation.
We are happy also TO represent the
following four propositions, which
Mr.. Keller lays down D Becessafy for
q successful orchard, without, howev-.
er, committing ourselves to defending
them, since, upon one or two points,
we might differ from him In the def!
milton Of terms -
1. The location should be elevated,
open, and exposed to the breeze. -
2. The trees should have plenty Of
8. After the first three or four years
the orchard should not be plowed nor
except - the surface may
be rooted by hogs no other stock to
be admitted, nor any attempt to crop
the ground. 50 - 1v~nn
4. No pruning TO be done, as be be-
lieves 1t to be injurious.
Irrigation.
A writer In the Farmer and Artisan
has the following to say on the sub
ject of irrigation: 5s
Having : small country mill, with
several acres Of land stretching oat'
below IT. I have for several years irri.