The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-11-08
Starting an Orchard

y
suited to your climate many yarie-
ties are worthless when removed to
a lower latitude than that In which
they originated, See that your trees
have young sound vigorous roots.
Plant none but those which have
been dwarfed by too frequent trans
planting this can be told by the
crooked gnarled appearance of the
roots.
Fruit trees do well transplanted
any time from the beginning of
winter to within a few days of the
time for the buds to expand in the
spring. Most fruit trees put forth
small ibrous rootsin January, which /
late transplanting destroys. For
this reason as we'll as to allow the I
tree to become well established in
the ground before the growing sea-
son commences, prefer transplant |
ing in early winter.
The apple and pear do best on
level land with deep rich soil, but |
as this Is not always attainable, we
have to remedy the defective nature
of the land by terracing or hillside
ditching and manuring. When the
ground selected for an orchard Is
steep enough for the soil to wash off
and leave the roots exposed, it is
best to commence by cutting hillside
bitches and throwing the dirt on
the upper side so as to retain as
much of the soil as possible, and to
lay off the rows equidistdnt from
the ditch. On medium land the
peach, pear and cherry should be
plated Is to 20 feet, and apple 20 to
% feet each way. Farther north,
where trees suffer for want of light
and air, they are planted 80 to 40.
feet apart but here under our sum
mer sun, the apple suffers from the
intense heat unless the trees. stand
thick enough to shade the ground
and check to some extent the eyapo-
ration from the soil.
After having laid off the rows each
way the desired width, dig hole at
each intersection three feet square
and two feet deep, keeping the soil
and clay separate take half bushel
(well rotted) stable manure or its
equivalent in compost, adding half a
! peck of lime if there is none in the
! land, and mix with soil to fill the
!. hole. Set the tree about as deep as
/, it stood in the nursery, with It's
|, roots Strengthened out in their natu-
: raj position Fill in the compost, and
I tread down firmly till even with the
surrounding surface. Set a stake
on each side, to hold the tree upright
!. and to protect it from injury il
d cultivation. Now tie a handful o
= split broomsedge or split corn stalks
K around each tree, to protect 1t from
rabbits. it is always beneficial t.
T. mulch fruit trees, and I suppose pc
y tato vines are an excellent article 10
/ that purpose Almost any kind 0
litter will answer.
s AS a general rule, it is best in thi
a climate to train all fruit trees witt
l. short bodies and low compact heads
g to protect the bodies from the sun
h This can be done by shortening bac
a until shoots start where they are de
as sired to grow. All pruning shout
be done in summer, and while tn
n branches are small. The wound
% will then heal readily and leave tn
10 tree. Observe carefully the humble
h and position of the branches, an,
ia remove those at once which will
i superfuous, or that will cross an
ia rub each other when the tree has al
or tanned It's full size. a young orchar
c. needs thorough cultivation. Neithe
o. peas nor cotton will iniure the tree
if enough vegetable manure is az
~ piled to keep the soil rich. Neithe
n. will potatoes injure them, unless, i
q drawing the soil for the hills th
90 small fbrous roots which perm eat
o. the soil are injured or destroyed
ID After the trees come into fu
IS. bearing, they will need no turtle
e cultivation, except to be kept clea
n of weeds and grass, and to have
Mt tOp-dressiDg of manure OCCASIONAL,
ID, Most men make the same mistak
re I" Subscriber" proposes to MAKE
n After having brought their orchard
Od into bearing, with much care an
Is solicitude, they SOW In rye oats {
n grass, so as to let the hogs run 0
in fruit time, aud IN few years IL
he stunted appearance of fruit an
foliage cclvinces them that this
'r- no fruit country, and they give u
their orchards in despair, not col
in sidering that the tree, in fruitin
IN. needs all the food and moisture
pin reach of it's roots, while the large
portion is pumped up and a
w. propriated by the grain or grass.
n. --,,-,---
Tr,r Atlanta and Ricbro,d 4