The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-10-28
Setting Out an Orchard.

As many readers of the Farmer, no
doubt, will set out fruit trees this fall, a
few hints from an old observer may not
be out of place. Land in which young
trees are planted must be in "good heart, y
to make them thrifty. The site ought to
be selected several years before planting,
and then cultivate the land with special
reference to the object for which it is de-
signed. Poor, run-out land, however
heavily MANFRED just previous to planting,
will not produce thrifty orchard.
But we will suppose you have good soil
to plant your trees in-what then? 1t
must he properly prepared. Plow the
ground down to the subsoil, and follow
with a subsoil pillow, breaking up bed
eighteen inches deep at least Harrow
we'll and stake out-thirty feet is good
distance, but much depends on the habit
of the trees. Don't sett trees any deeper
than they stood in the nursery. If the
land is naturally wet, it will be better to
set the trees almost on the surface, and
then bank up till the roots are covered
sufficiently. Do not crowd or cramp the
roots-allow them to lie in natural posi-
ton, and cover them with fine, rich mold,
procured for the purpose if it is not pres
ent in the soil. once set out an orchard
in clay soil that was not in good condi-
ton, by any means; but I hauled rich
mold from an old garden, to cover the
roots, and then brought up the land after
ward. The trees grew splendidly from the
start, and the orchard is one OF the thrift
lest in the neighborhood.
Have good, sound, substantial stakes
prepared and sharpened, one for each tree,
and after the tree is set in place, and be-
fore any dirt is thrown into the hole,
drive one firmly into the ground, at dis
lance of three or four inches from the
trunk. Then fill up the hole, watering
the earth as it is thrown in, until within
two or three inches of the surface. Secure
the tree to the stake with two or three
bands of twisted straw; these should be
wrapped once around the tree, before tying
to the stake, to prevent rubbing. This is
all that will be necessary in fall planting,
until spring comes, unless there is danger
of mice gnawing the bark through the
winter; in this case a common prevention
is to bank up the earth compactly around
the tree foot high.
Until an orchard is old enough to shade
the ground we'll it ought to be cultivated
in some hoed crop, applying manure lib
orally each time; or, better yet, if you can
spare the land, pillow up each spring and
fall and keep the surface loose and mellow,
without cultivating any crop. Fall is the
best time to manure an orchard, and the
manure ought to be narrowed in, not
plowed under. Keep stock out, and never
permit careless or inexperienced hand to
pillow in it.
Finally, make plat of the orchard as
soon as it is set out, carefully registering
the name of each variety SO that no mis-
take can ever occur-and then 60 around
and take off every label and wire.
1t costs too much to set out an orchard
unless it is done right, and properly at
crop, where the mistake or neglect of this
year may be corrected next. An orchard
is thing of lifetime, and too much
pains cannot be bestowed upon the plant
ing and first years of cultivation.-Cor.
Ohio Farmer