The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-01-09
.grie"It"g"l3e st"e"t.
W. S. SHIELDS. EDITOR.
CnltiKating Orchards.


Our exchanges continue to pub
lish interesting statements of exper-
iments in the cultivation of orchards,
most of which prove the value of a
clean and mellow surface between
the trees, but some indicate better
success when the land is laid down
to grass. In all or nearly all these
narrated instances, no mention Is
made of the character or condition
of the soil as to the degrees Of fer
tility, or Of the growth of the an
nual shoots as indicative of the need
Of stimulating on the one hand, or
checking on the other. The state
ments are consequently less value
to orchardists in unlike localities,
than is these essential particulars
were given. Some of them, how
ever, are 80 decided in their results
that we can Judge to some extent Of
the conditions Of the soil and thrift
ness of the trees. Among others,
correspondent of the Practical Far
nser in Beaver county, Pa, states
that he Ike pit his apple orchard in
grass for four years after becoming
the owner, and never applied any
manure. 1t was about thirty years
old. and for fifteen years had been in
grass, without manure. The trees
then ceased to bear, and many OF
them had the appearance Of dying
-Four years ago he gave the ground
shallow blowing, taking care not
to iniure the roots, and then added
a GOOD dressing of manure with one
fifth part leached ashes, blowing and
narrowing we'll to intermix the in
Gradients with the soil. He does
not give the quantity applied per
acre. or to each tree. The next
wear about twice as many leached
ashes were added az at first. The
result was highly satisfactory, the
trees beginning new growth, and
for the two past years have borne
more fruit than any other orchard
III the neighbOrhood. Two other
cases are mentioned, in one of which
the owner alternately raised hoed
or grain crops, and seeded to grass
bienniaily. The other kept his trees
constantly in grass. Both stated
that they had thrifty orchards; but
the standard of thrittness or the de-
gree of vigor, as indicated by the
length of annual growth, were not
given, leaving us quite in the dark
in this respect, and in none of these
cases was the character Of the soil
mentioned. It is obvious however
that in the first instance, the soil was
deficient in fertility, as was shown
by the failure of the trees till it was
enriched and cultivated, and by the
great productiveness of the trees
afterwards.
There are very few apple orchards,
either in poor soils at the East, or
on rich lands Of the West. that are
not benefited by cultivation or by
manure, and in some soils both are
necessary In young orchards, 1t is
better and cheaper to rely chiefly
OIL cultivation il old bearing orch
ards, top-dressing with manure has
given satisfactory results, the ma
nure apparently promoting the
growth Of fruit, and increasing pro
ductiveness to a greater degree thar
mere stirring Of the soil. This has
been found out by farmers who make
the most money from their old orch
ards.
There is perhaps no locality il
the country where seeding peacl
orchards to grass does not result il
small growth and inferior fruit, anC
it may be laid down as nearly uni
versal rule, to keep the soil of peacl
orchards clean and mellow as Ions
as they produce crops, taking care
to discontinue the cultivation sooI
after midsummer, to favor the cessa
ton of growth and the ripening o
the wood. In some of the reported
instances of peach bearing more uni
formly and suffering less from The
severity of the winters, the cultiva
tiOn was kept up, and the growth
of the shoots continued to remain
green and succulent, till the cold o
winter come on them and injured o.
destroyed them.
Since the wide prevalence Of th'
blight in the pear, large humble
Of instances are reported of create
immunity from this disease in tree
growing in grass, while in rarer ca
ses the reverse has been observed
The evidence. however, prepon-
derates in favor Of pear orchards il
grass-this remark applying to stand
ard Country Gentlemen.
All the Same up Above.
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