Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-11-05
Starting Apple Orchards.

THE value of a generous supply of good
apples in the family is beginning to be
understood by almost every one yet there
are many farmers and rural residents still
without an orchard. The securing of
other necessities has caused a delay in
planting fruit trees. With thousands
every year the period arrives to make the
beginning; and until then but little
thought is given to the location of an
orchard or to the varieties best ada pted to
the climate. Generally the first question
to be considered is the selection of the
location. With many there is but little
choice in tie situation. If the chief OBJ
ject is the supply of fruit for the family
the convenience of access will constitute
an important element in the solution of
the question. All such persons will de
sire TO have the planting done near the
dwelling house. But even here the most
elevated site should be preferred, as ele-
vatiOn is often condition that secures a
crop against the effects of late spring
frosts, and besides the trees will aid in pro-
tecting the building from rude blasts, and
the foliage will also afford a pleasing
background to the rural landscape. Where
more extensive orcharding is coutem-
plated, with view to send the fruit to
location can be made, more remote from
the dwelling convenience must sometimes
yield to considerations of profit For it is
well known that valleys are colder than
hills, and few feet elevation will some.
times secure crop when in the valleys it
would be entirely cut off. AS you ap-
proach the more southern latitudes this
danger from frost increases. Another i'm
portant consideration in favor of more
elevated situation for an orchard is, par
ticularly where a rich soil prevails, that
on the elevated grounds, beside having the
advantage of throwing off the excess of
water from the surface, the soil is general
ly more porous and dry and favors a more
healthy growth than the valleys or flat
lands. II the soil is not naturally porous
and dry undertaking is indispensably
necessary to insure profitable crops. After
the most favorable location has been
chosen the next most important step to be
taken is in the preparation of the soil for
apple trees.
If the ground is sufficiently dry without
Undertaking it should be deeply trench
plowed and the soil thoroughly pulverized.
If the land is not rich it should be ma
nured and the manure thoroughly incor-
porated with the soil; as fresh manure
should never come in contact, in any con-
siderable quantity, with the roots of new
IMPLANTED trees. Rich earth from the
woods or from the fence corners, where
the ground requires enriching, is best to
be placed around the roots of trees. Large
holes should be dug and filled in with the
rich earth some time before planting, so
that the rains may settle it, and that the
trees when established shall stand no
deeper in the ground than they did in the
nursery. Great injury is often done by
planting trees too deep. The roots re-
quire certain degree of heat and air TO
thrive well, and too deep planting de-
prives them of these essentials. If an
orchard is to be planted in the spring it is
best to put the ground in order in the
fall, because the soil will be improved by
the action Of the frost, and there is no time
to be lost when the planting is deferred
till spring. But the work should be done
the first favorable weather and before the
circulation of the sap begins. There are
several considerations in favor of spring
planting, and generally it may be regarded
as the best season. If the soil selected for
the orchard is of dry, porous character
and the season has been favorable for the
ripening Of the wood of the young trees
in the nursery trees may be planted in
the Iall. At that season there is generally
more leisure to do the work well, and If
properly done and the trees securely sup.
ported with stakes or if cone of earth is
thrown up around the base of the trees to
give them support no injury would be
sustained. When the planting is put off
till spring 1t is too frequently done in "a
hurry or deferred until too late after the
circulation of the sap has commenced and
the young rootlets have put out. Then
the trees often sustain a serious check in
their growth from the loss of these young
roots and from the dry weather that fire.
quently ensues before the rains have thor.
oughly settled the earth about the roots.
Where the subsoil is so compact that it
is difficult for the roots of trees to stick
downward our practice has been TO mark
out a land say twelve feet wide, where a
row of trees is to be planted and pillow this
land three or four times, throwing the
furrow slices outward. In this way a
broad middle furrow may be worked open
two feet in depth. Then reverse the pillow.
ing 50 as to level of the ground and plant
the trees ON the surface of a deeply.pul.
verized seed-bed d-N.Y Herald.