The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-01-14
for the farmer.
the APPLE ORCHARD.

and cultivation of the trees, aild the seieclloh VI
varieties. Having set ont six apple orchards, an
Of them on different soils and locations, although
in the same neishborhoOdl, and with over thlrty
five years experience in fruit-growIng l trust 4
shall he able TO give some instructions thaI win
be beneficial TO the inexperienced fruit-grower.
Judging from the location of site and manage
ment of the orchard, l think but few farmers APP
precate its importance. IL Is too frequently Ihe
Isactice to select piece of land for the orchard
than can not be cultivated with the Prov. WIN
ont any prenaratiou of the land, except the dig
ging of the holes; it is planted IN iruit-trees,
which receive no cultivation whatever, anu bnt
little care. The trees soon grow sickly, and many
of them die. Others cultivate the land every
year after the trees are planted, adding yearly
large quantities of manure to the land. Their
trees make too rapid growths-frequcntly the
bark sap bursts at the ground, and the trees live
to bear but few years; hence with such persons
the orchard is failure. With a good selection
of the SITE and the proper cultivation and man
agement of the trees, no part OF the farm, with
the same amount of capital invested and labor
bestowed, yields so Iemunerative crops the
'chard.
LOCATION OF SITE.-If possible the site shonld
be an elevated one and the land rich and dry
A calcareous clay usually produces the best ap-
pies. This, however, is not always the case, rs
some varieties do best a rich, sandy loam
The Rome Beauty is noted for its peculiar adaP-
ton to warm, gravelly soil. In a billy country,
north or northeast slope is preferable to any
other location. In all cases select so that the
This may be done by hill where belt of
timber is to be left Standing Should there lie
no hill or woodland on The west side of the
ehard site, plant two or three rows of forest
evergreen trees close together the side of it to
break off the Wind. If row of evergreen trees
is planted on the east side to shade the trees
when in blossom from the bright morning sun,
they would be beneficial. Do not be discouraged
because it takes little extra work and expense
planting the outside trees. 1t Will pay you well
in after years for the trouble and expense of
planting them.
PREPARATION OF THE LAND.-If the land is
spouty it shOnlG be thoroughly underdrained be-
fore the trees are planted When undertaking
becomes necessary, the drains should be laid at
least three feet below the surface. Fruit-trees
may grow, but they never do well on n wet or
sour soil Plow the land in the fall of the year
and as deep as possible. 1t can not be pluwed
too deep. The blowing should be done in lands
of proper distances for the rows that the trees
may be on the elevated land where the burrows
come together in backing up. This leaves low
place in the centre between the rows of trees to
draw off the water from their roots. As soon as
the land is broken ur, run crls S-furrows with the
pillow at right angles with the first plowing and
at proper distances apart for the rows of trees.
1t is necessary that the rows be straight for
venience in after cultivation. Clean ont the
holes for the trees after the blowing is done,
making them about two feet square and one foot
deep. When the holes for the trees are dug in
the Fall, the rains and frOsts of Winter soften
the ground at the bottom aud sides of the hole
which is advantageous to the growth of frees.
PURCHASING AND PLANTING TIE TREEs.-Un-
less the soil is very dry and the site favorable
one 1t is better to plant trees in the Spring than
the Fall season of the year. have found il more
convenient and advantageous to purchase trees
IN the Fall. If this is done, select an elevated
piece of ground in the garden or elsewhere that
is dry, and where the trees will be secure from
destruction by mice stock. As soon rs the
trees are received, with sharp knife cut off all
the diseased and broken roots and bury the trees
IN trenches dug sufficiently deep that the roots
may be below the action of the frost. BY Spring |
the cut roots will be nearly healed over and be /
ready Tor throwing out new ones Immediately |
after planting. When trees are thus purchased
and kept, they may be set out very early in the
Spring, before the rush of work comes on. An
other very important advantage gained by the
purchase of trees in the Fall and buryiug them
is, that they be taken from the trenches a few at
a time, and set ont in the orchard without injury
to the roots by the cold winds, Early planting
of deciduous trees is preferable to late as they
get start before the hot, dry weather of June
sets in. When ready for planting fill up the
holes, if too deep, with rich surface mold, that
the tree when planted will stand about two inch
es deeper in the ground than when growing in
the nursery. Trees seldom do well when plant
ed too deep. In setting tree, the heaviest por-
lions of the top and branches should front toward
the south and west, leaning the top little in
that direction. BY so doing You shade the body
of the tree while young from the bright sun in
Winter. Spread out the roots and fill in abOut
them with the hand the rich surface mold,
sionally shaking the tree little and drawing it
upward. This places the roots in their original
position. Press down the earth gently with the
foot, leaving basin or hollow around the tree,
and the top of it leaning to the southwest Cut
back little all the main branches. Do not cut
of the little under ones; they of much impor-
tance in shading and protecting the trunk of the
tree while young A few oats spriHkled about
the roots of the tree encourage its early growth.
When planting put no foreign substances, such
as woods mold manure, in the hole with the
tree; they do not readily unite with the natural
soil, and should the weather be dry soon after
planting, the air passes down the cracks to the
roots and the tree dies.
CARE AND AFTER CUrTURE-As soon as the
trees for the orchard planted, the land should
be cultivated in some hoed crop. Potatoes are
preferable, as they do not crowd or smother the
growth of the Young tree. They also leave the |
aud in good condition, il it is well MANFRED | {
should the land be thin, manure plentifnlIy :
bout abe trees the first two years. being careful
rot to let the manure lie against the tree If it
loes it will rot the bark and kill the tree. In J
the growing crop, do not damage the
rees by knocking off the bark with the pillow for
he sake of saving a hill of potatoes-evcry tree 4
Itier starting to grow, is worth hundred hills a
II potatoes or corn After three or four years of b
nltiyation, the land should be sOwn in clover p
md left to rest, during which time the young o
rees viii come into bearing. PrUne the trees Ii
o as to make low heads keeping them evenly b
aIanced and bringing out the branches horizon s.
ne spring of the year, when the ground is soft T
ne continued west aud southwest winds cause
ne young trees to lean toward the northeast
. soon as discovered, the tree should be strength
ned and Kept so by stalking otherwise the bark 81
n the upper side of the leading tree will become ID
iseased the following Winter by the rains and W
forms and eventually cause the tree TO die. ri
nonid the orchard site contain different soils al
~ par sandy aud grayelly loan and part a VI
eaNy limestone clay, plant the early fruit on bi
he former and the Winter fruit ON the latter | in
pipes grown on strong ealcareous soils are
eayIer than hen grown on light soils. and thew
sually keep better. my or
DISTANCE FOR PLANTING TREES norsons by
hen planting got their trees so close tacetber
at when old they are run up 50 biCb - 80 tn
em room TO. grow it is Impossible 70 C,.Sshar OF
nit without injuring it. The foIiowinS ani til
'oximates correct distances for planting tapas pc
/ most Ohio soils: Standard apple. tSentve trC
ght to thirty-three feet apart; standard near
Fenty-tiye to twenty-eight feet apart; neacI
ces sixteen feet and dwarf pear trees twelve te'
ct apart. To plant an acre of land at the sn
,ove mentioned distances, it will REQUIRE the u,
lowing number of trees; twenty-eight feet wi
Oh way, So; twenty-five feet each way no. ar ar
d twelve feet each way, 325. 5e
little slaked lime spread under the tree in wv
Q Spring OF the year, when the tree is in bloom
III prove of great benefit to most varieties of va
inter apples, especially the pippins. ras
Too much can not be aNarcisad in Aha -