The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-03-15
Changing the Bearing Of Orchards.

excess and low prices, is followed by
one of scarcity and high prices, inqui-
ries have come to us in such numbers.
as show that many are considering the
practicability of changing this state Of
affairs. 1t is an encouraging sign that
farmers are induced to think about
their orchard at all, for as a general
thing there is no part of their belong
ings so neglected as this. Trees are
set, but it is looked upon rather as a
waste of land, so the orchard must be
cropped, and while no other part of
the farm is expected to do it, that &C.
cupied by the orchard is expected to
yield two crops. The cause of all the
trouble with fruit trees, whether of
failure altogether, or occasional Excess
sive bearing, and the rest, may be sum-
med up in one word-neglect. We
now confine our remarks to the pres
ent trouble, and to answering the va
rious inquiries about alternate bear
ing. The apple tree, left to itself, will
generally bear such an abundant crop
that requires another year, and some
times longer, to recuperate, and accu-
mulate sufficient nutriment to form
buds and nourish another crop. This
tendency is very marked in some lead
ing varieties, and as it has been going
on for many years, the habit has be-
come fixed, and when we propagate
these varieties, the young trees start
with that as one of their peculiaritles,
in which they have been educated, so
to speak. 1t is well known that this
tendency is much more marked in
some varieties than in others, and
while some naturally fall into alternate
bearing, others resist it, and will, if
they have fair chance, give a crop of
fruit every year. This is character
to which little attention has been paid
by our pomologists; they state if a
tree comes into bearing early-or, if it
is an abundant or shy bearer, but its
tendency to annual or biennial bearing
is rarely recorded, while it is one of
the most important qualities. Varie-
ties that naturally bear annually may
be converted into biennial bearers by
starvation; planted, as they often are,
on poor soil, and robbed of their nu-
triment by another crop,the trees can
not get food enough to enable them TO
carry even small crop every year, and
they are forced into alternate bearing.
The practical question il, how can trees
that now bear excessively one year and
nothing next. So far as the alternate
bearing is due to the poverty of the
soil, the remedy is evident, and no
doubt would be, with many varieties,
sufficient.
Will manuring help? Our cores
pendent, connecticut" in writing
us, SAYS: ~ once knew an old apple
tree, an inveterate biennial bearer, that
was made to change its habit by break
ing up the sward in which it stood,
and cropping it with potatoes; the
sward was heavy, and in its decay en-
riched the ground, and besides this,
the potatoes were well MANFRED. But
the manuring was not continued be-
yond one season, and the tree in few
years relspsed into its old ways"
We agree with our correspondent
that fertilizing the orchard will help,
and in some cases be all is required.
but that it will break up the biennial
habit where it has been fixed through
many generations, we do not believe.
Its tendency will be to make the crop
on the bearing year all the more Excess
sive. In such cases nothing will break
up the habit but the removal of a large |
portion OF the fruit on the year of
abundance.
Will it pay to thin the fruit? That |
this severe thinning will change the
bearing year there is sufficient testi-
mony, but there is one point on which |
we lack evidence-will it pay? If any
of our friends have tried thinning to |
induce annual bearing, or to reverse |
the bearing year on full grown trees |
we ask in behalf of many inquirers
that they will give their results. With
young orchards, just coming into bear
ing, the case is very different and who
ever will take the pains. and give the
young trees the needed care, can make
the orchards bear annually. The edu-
cation of the trees must begin with
their first fruiting, as the first Excess
sive crop, though small in itself, starts
the tree on the wrong track. When
the trees are young, the quantity of
fruit to be removed is small, and all
within reach. OF course the cultiva-
ton of the soil must not be neglected,
but healthy growth maintained.
Whoever will start right with his or
chard, aud treat it fairly, will have no
reason TO complain. Among the vari-
cites of apples that are naturally an
nual bearers, though they may starved
into bearing biennially, or not at all,
are Vandevere Sops OF Wine Grimes
comparatively new apple of
great excellence; MAN; Minklers';
Janet, for the south; Benoni; Hub
bardston Nonsuch; Domino; Highly
Sweet, and English Sweet (Ramsdell's
Sweet at the south.) If any of our
fruit growers can add to this list of an
lual bearers, we hope they will do so.