The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-11-15

| Ooiie WTiters tcll us not TO cuitlVate
our fruit trees, as it produces an undue
excitement or growing power in tho
tree, which lredisposes to premature
death. We don't believe their theory.
Our experience is on the other side Of
the question, and we 60 in for thorough
cultivation at least for timc-until
the trees get well started.
In the fall Of 1857 we set out 80
apple, II pear, aud 6 cherry tre es, on
piece Of ground inc|ining to the south
and west, on which a crop of rye had
been gathered few months previous.
The holes were dug IS inches deep and
3 feet in diameter, the top soil thrown
by itself, and before setting the trees,
was thrown in the bottom of the holes
ut least as much of it as would fill up
to the right depth for setting the trees.
The subsoil was we'll Incorporated with
harnyarl scrapings which were thor
oughly rottcd, and then thrown in
around the roots Of the trees, being
careful that none of the manure came
directly in contact with the roots, hav-
ing avePcnough surface soil to cover
cut of with sharp knife at the ends.
in slanting direction, and the tops
thoroughly trimmed before setting. The
following spring the ground was plough
cd and planted to potatoes, which
brought in market more than encugh II to
pay all the expenses thus far incurred.
The soil being rather poor the potato
crop was light, only 125 bushels. The
orchard contained II acres. The trees
all lived, and made from II to "a inch
es growth the first season.
Potatoes were planted among the
trees year after year, for s or 9 years,
with one exception; beans were plant
cd among them that year; and they
always sold for more than enough to
pay all the expenses incurred.
During this time we manured the
orchard twice with barn-yard manure,
spreading it over the whole surface ex-
cept directly around the trees, a space
of 6 or s feet in diameter was left
without any.
Manure to do the tree most good
should be put at the outer ends Of the
roots, and not around the body, is our
theory, and we practice accordingly.
These trees commenced bearing the
third yeal after being set, and made Is
inches growth On an average each year
during the above mentioned period.
A distant neighbor bought 100 apple
trees of the same lot as mine, and set
them in stiff timothy Sod, and the
consequence was at the end Of three
years, nearly one-half of the trees were
dead, and those alive had made hardly
any pcrceptiblc growth during the three
years. AT this time but few of the 100
trees are left, and those Of little value,
while these VIC set are furnishing ap-
pies in large quantities. The pear and
cherry trees have done equally we'll.
The white borer gave me more tpou-
BILE than any thing else among my
trees During the first summer, before
I was aware of their depredations, they
had gained a foothold, but their stay
was of short duration. I took my
pocket-knife and cut every one Of them
out. I found as many as eight worms
each in several of the trees.
The following season l took hardware
paper, and cut it in strips eight inches
wide, and thoroughly tarred one side
and wrapped it around the collar Of the
trees, first scraping away the soil down
to the roots, and after putting on the
paper, replaced the soil. This proved
etfectual. One year tried scraping
the trees. The soil was removed down
to the roots, and then piece of hard
soap thoroughly rubbed upon the barred
roots and trunk Of the trees to the
height of or 10 inches. This also
proved eTectual, excepting one or two
trees.
In using the tarred paper string
should be tied around the tree near the
upper end of the hardware paper, to
keep it close to the body of the tree.
The string should be loosened as the
tree enlarges, or it will harm the tree.
New paper will have be used each year.
Thousands of dollars are paid out
yearly by farmers for fruit trees,
which is so much money thrown away.
as far as they (the farmers)ar con-
cerned. They are fond Of good fruit,
and expend their money liberally for
fruit trees, but will not give them the
required attention after setting them
out.-Fruit Recorder.