The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-05-11
Agricultural.
ORCHARDS.

We desire to call the attention of the cu,ti-
vators OF fruit, to proposed plan of man
agenent to facilitate orchard work. In most
localities in the North the cultivation of the
soil in orchards is absolutely necessary for the
growth of the best as well as the most sala-
BILE fruit, unless copious top dressings of ma
nure are applied at much greater expense.
The course adopted by many good orchardists
when about to plant Trees, it to prepare the
ground thoroughly, enrich it sufficient Y. and
to make il clean and mellow. Alter plant
ing, 1t may be cultivated with hoed crops for
few OF the first years. growth, or until the
trees become large enough 10 shade the
ground aud render the supply Improbable.
In connection with such cropping, the annual
application OF manure, with occasional dress
ings OF wood ashes or lime, will keep the
trees in healthy condition. One ofthe best
crops for this purpose is corn 1.-THE smaller
sorts being preferred,) for although it may
somewhat shade the trees, the mellow sur
face and freedom from weeds which good cul-
tvation gives, overbalance any drawback
Alter the trees become large, and especial
ly after the roots have run all through the
soil below. which generally happens before
the ground is shaded by the tops, no crnps
should be raised, but the whole surface kept
clean by the cultvator and harrow. For this
purpose, Shares harrow will run quite deep
enough, will thoroughly loosen or turn over
the top soil, and never tear up the roots. La
ter in the summer, smoother and more super
fetal work may be performed with the
Smoothing harrow, which, like Shares, never
tears up roots.
This general course, or one like it, is adopt
ed by some of our best fruit-raisers; to which
we wish 20 make an addition. The cultiva-
tion should not be continued longer than the
end of August, 70 allow the young wood to
cease growing, ripen and mature, the better
to withstand winter and disease. When the
growth is strong, the end of July is late
enough to discontinue cultivation.
There is one drawback-the surface being
bare, the fruit, when it drops, is liable to be-
come soied, and every rain increases the diff
ficulty. A surface, like turf, would render
the entire work cf gathering fruit an easier
and more pleasant one; and if the ground
could be occupied with the growth cf some
temporary crop at time when we want the
trees to stop growing, it would accelerate the
ripening of wood, and furnish top-dressng
of vegetable matter which might do some
good the next year. Now the question oc-
ours, what crop, easily and cheaply sown ear
ly or late in August, on the previously
narrowed and mellowed surface, would
give a green carpet by the time fruit
is usually gathered? How would oats
answer? Would any crop be better? 1t
might continue to grew through autumn and
become killed by winter, forming muchmg
or top-dressng. By such course we should
| have bare and mellow surface through the
| early part of the year, when it is important
| tie trees should make strong growth; and
| the checking influence of the surface crop
when growth should cease and mature, be-
sides the green and soft carpet at the time of
gathering fruit, and the benefit of the mulch
ing so far as that benefit would extend.
Would not such course be desirable, and if
so, what would be the best and most freely
growing surface crop for this purpose p
Country Gentleman.
STRAWBERRY CULTURE.
No farmer should be without a strawberry
patch. Everybody loves this delicious fruit,
and it is so easily cultivated that it is rank in
justice to his fam lily for ally one having patch
| of land OR garden to fail in raising straw
| berries for their participation. Almost any
kind Of land, which is cry or is drained, will
| grow this fruit il supplied with vegetable ma
nures, which, by the by, can be said, We be-
| leve. of almost all other kinds of small fruits.
| The lighter the soil, the easier and more eco
| nomical is the cultivation; and upon such
| soils the produce is earlier and better flavor
| ed, while the heavier soils will produce later
and heavier fruit Elevated soils are less Ii
| able to be. affected by Spring frosts, hence
| should be selected for the earliest Spring
1
! sorts. South and Southeast lie hills should
be chosen to produce early fruit, and North
| side hills, late fruit. Thus the season may be
| extended. 1.-THE ground is sufficiently rich
to grow good potatoes or corn, it will grow as
comparatively good Strawberries. If not in
| good order, manure thoroughly with any rot
! ted compost, New coarse manures are very
risky, especially for light soils, for, if the
Spring should prove dry, the plants dry out
badly. Plough or spade deep when the ground
| is in dry condition, for if too wet and soggy
it leaves the surface stiff and bakey. If con-
venient, scatter liberal supply of well rotted
compost over the surface, which no. only en-
| riches the SOIL but acts as a mulch to keen
the surface moist and prevent it from ssbak-
ing"
THE CULTURE OF CURRANTs,
There is no small fruit, says the Countra,
Gentleman that gives more generous re.
turn than the currant, if properly managed.
The fruit is cooling and hsalthful, and should
be used more generally than il is during lis
season. The ease with which the currant IS
propagated has made it common in most OF
the gardens Of this section of TIE country
but. as rule, they bear small, poor HuiI,
managed as they are generally IN Tue ,ig a9so-
lutely no. care-at-all way-so entireY G'hei
ent from the bright, full, fresh perry OF wei
cultivated plants. 1t makes little diHerence
what the variety is, one caunot cheat ma
ture; neglect gives poor fruit.