Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-03-05
FARM AND FIREsIED.


facts in relation 10 the cultivation OF the
apple, as we'll as the pear, in the
Western country, which Ideem Of great
value and which will try to explain.
First, 1 will relate my own and others
experiments with the apple tree, by
which we have learned how the many
hundreds of thousands Of almost, if not
quite barren, worthless apple trees 70
this country can be made prcfuse year
" bearers whilst they now dc not bear
one-quarter enough to pay for the
ground they shade.
Last spring for an experiment. l cir
died one limb en- ,one Of ny apple
trees, taking out a ring OF bark one
fourth Of an inch in width exposing the
wood, which looks ike dry, dead stick,
Notwithstanding this, the small limb
thus girdled has grown during the past
summer nearly double the size 1t is
below the point where the bark has
been taken OF, aud every part Of the
limb is full of blossom buds. This is
on barren tree.
This demonstrates the fact that the
sap does not flow, as many suppose,
from the roots up.into the tree, between
the bark and the wood; but passes up
either IN the wood of last years
growth, or in all that is called the sap
wood. have noticed in lumber, on
the edge of planks what 10 termed sap,
two or three inches. thick which decays
much sooner than the central part. l
have often wondered how this sap.wood
is turned into heart wood, as it con-
tinually increases In size as the tree
grows. think now see it is this pre-
cess of the sap rising in the sap-wood.
One year before the above experiment,
made two cuts one-fourth Of an inch
apart entirely around six or seven
limbs, on as many different apple trees
but did not remove any bark. A year
age last summer all these limbs flles
with blossom buds, and last summer
they were fairly loaded with fruit while
the remainder ofthe tree bsre ne apples.
This does lot apparently iujure the
limb. as girdling must evidently do, but
simply impedes the passage Of the sap
hack between the bark and the wood 10
the ground or roots, causing, blossom
buds 10 form for the next years fruit
The superintendent Of the private
ASYLUM for the insane in our village has
an orchard of about enc hundred apple
trees, and he says they hardly furnish
him with one bushel of apples annually
in the entire Eorchard. He has been
thinking Of cutting them down, until he
witnessed the above experiment on his
v
orchard the coming spring. Recently
an extensive farmer of our town in
formed me that one Of his nelghbOrs,
one year ago last spring, made a ring
around the bodies Of three Of his large
barren apple trees, and the last summer
they were full OF fruit. Perhaps you
will recollect when last summer / told
YOU something of my experiment ON the
limbs of nv trees, that you had been
informed that Mr.. F. G.. Wilson, OF
Springfield, Ill.,, had for MANY years
been treating the entire bodies Of his
apple trees in the same TiTper as l
had the limbs. l wrote . Wilson
3 few days since, asking--e me
the results of his exper the settlemence
commencing this lelte'n defeated by ed
his reply. Some fastCSebjio,. e. is sui
relate, which 1 thI6g lmenIs's ogifbe l.
interest all those engaged in cultlvssA9
fruit. He says he commenced his e1-
perinents five or six years ogo. lie
girdled some Of the bodies Of his trees
by taking out in the spring as narrow a
circle OF bark as possible, about one
sixteenth Of an inch swlde. On others
he simply made a cut through the bark,
pressing the blade of the knife hard
against the wood, entirely around the
tree. In both cases the result has been
that his trees are yearly bearers, and no
injury is done to them. He thinks a
simple cut, pressing the blade hard
against the wood, answers equally as
wsll as glrdliug. After i've or SIX
years experimenting, he gives 1t as his
o, MON that we can make all barren
apple trees yearly, prOfuse bearers. l
think no need fear 10 thus expert
mint On. barren tree 1fsr GER
tainly it is worthless encum-
brance as it is. Mr.. Wilson sug-
gests that ii may be that a fruit tree
will be longer-IiYed tree if it bears
only on alternate years, as it may
sooner exhaust the vitality to bear a
full crop annually. think if it is so,
it is no serious objection, for would
much rather have a tree that will do its
work in 20 years and die, than to be
40 years dcing the same work. l would
rather replace the tree in season, which
is a light expense. Mr.. Wilson III
forms me that in the latitude Of Spring
field his bellnowers blossom full, but
soon after bloom cast their fruit. Il
find this is the case with the bellhswer
with us) BY ringing the bodies he says
q callus is formed exchanges en-
tirely the habits of the tree, and now
his bell1owers bear well. l have known
some, after their trees have grown to
be thirty years old and large healthy
trees, to get discouraged and cut them
down. Had they known Of this simple
remedy, they could have saved their