The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-12-03
MANURING FRUIT TREES.

AVA AAN " 1OAAV ~ A. 1GO l. AVAIAS0e
One would hardly suppose that it
was necessary to say to people
that they should manure their fruit
trees. Over aud over again we have
urged this in our columns. But
universal experience is that fruit
trees are neglected, and experience
equally universal shows that it is
only be calling repeated attention to
these matters that people will do
better.
Now is particularly good season
for attention to this. The heaviest
of farm work is over and nothing
particularly pressing, and just this
kind Of thing can be done with
advantage all around.
While orchard trees are young,
and crops cultivated between them,
they get along tolerably well. Gar
den or farm crops cannot be grown
without manure. Everybody knows
this. They are MANFRED and the
trees steal some Of it. But the time
comes when the trees meet their
branches,an crops cannot be grown
to advantage any more, and then all
manure for the fruit trees stops for
ever. They generally 60 back after
this. The leaves get yellow, the
fruit poor and knotty, and much
falls off in dry time.
| Just here comes in another idea.
Everybody wants or ought to want
good roads. One of the best ways
to keep roads good is to keep bitches
open and clean. This lets off the
water easily; it is water on roads
that spoils them. Then this ditch
stuff is capital food for trees. If it
will pay to keep the road dry, it will
doubly pay when drying the road to
spread the stuff under the fruit trees.
Many think fruit trees require
good rich manure, and when one
talks Of manuring fruit trees he has
an idea that valuable material at so
many dollars ton must be procured
Nothing of the kind Il ride around
our good old Germantown will show
many an old pear, apple or cherry
tree so situated that simply earth
every year washes down around the
stem over the roots, and it is wonder
full how they grow and bear. Some
Of these old pear trees are Seckels,
and the fruit are of a size generally
to excite establishment. This dirt,
or dirt similar to it, hauled and
scattered under the large trees, has
a wonderful effect on the growth and
productlveness. Abont one load to
three or four trees does not take
long to haul and spread as a,
general thing, and the good effects
will be visible for several years. We
have also seen excellent results from
the use Of kitchen ashes spread
under the trees ia the same way.
We know that the analytical chem
lists tell us that there is no value
whatever in coal ashes-that it is
the ashesof wood used in klndling, or
the potato parings, slops, or some
other matter, thrown 10, that does
all the good. Perhaps it is no mat
ter about that. These ashes, with
whatever may be in them, are capital
material for top-dressing old trees.
We say old trees. 1t will do
as we'll for them so far as
that goes;' but generally there is
grass to NOW around about the trees,
and men do not like to have ashes
about where there is grass to cut, as
it is annoying to the scythe.
These things are seasonable just
now. 1t is good time to do the Job,
and there is time to do the good
thing. 1t will pay back all it costs in
good fruit, and give good roads, and