The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-09-05
Orchards

I Every farmer should set apart several
acres Of his, land for fruit growing. He can
make nse Of the land for various purposes
while tho trees are growing. Indeed 1t Is
probably the better plan Is to set the trees
90 far apart that they win never meet and
overshadow tho gronnd so much that . crop
of some other kind cannot be raised between
them. After all shat has been said and
written against raising crops in the orchard,
the opiaion appears to be that it is better
for the trees and also for the proprietor, to
keep ON cnltivating the soil and keep on
raising tillage crops than TO lay it down in
grass. Some crops are more suitable for
orchards than others. Hoed crops of any
kind are beneficial, because the soil 10 Kept
in . fine state Of tilth, weeds are banished,
and the surface of the soil, being shaded by
crops retains moisture, which is grateful
to the minute, sponge-like mouths Of the
fibrous roots OF the fruit trees. The cost
of fruit trees, even OF the best varities, is
comparatively small, and the land need not
be- idle while the trees are coming to q
bearing age, for the orchard. by proper cul-
tiyation, may be made to produce excellent
crops. Of variens kinds. When an acre Of
appleitrsas In lts prime, il will produce
about 400 bushels of fruit, and II these are
of ths best variety they viii be worth one
dollar bnshel. There will be windfails and
inferior fruit which win be of much use
feeding hogs or cattle. Some orchards, it
10 true, produce crops only every second
year, because. having borne very heavy,
crop, they nesd recupsration. Hisa COM
mon saying "One year for wood and one
for fruit, but 1t 10 also well established
fact that, BY proper management, such as
judicious pruning, and the application Of
special maAurss, the trees mag bs caused to
yield o eFop of fruit every year. Peaches
and plums are uncertain fruits yet, II pre-
cautions are taken tine crops may be obtain-
ed. II peach trees of the best varieties are
planted in suitable soil, md in favorable
situations, they. viii bear almost every year. ]
They do best when ,ahaded from the morn
Ing snu and dsxposad 10 that of the noon and
evening. as In this case the frozen branches
thaw gradually, and the slender tissues Of
fhs wood are not fractured by rapidly
thawing after being frozen. The best OF
all the remedies for the onrcaiio ito re-
move the soil 10 the width ofthree feet and
to the depth Of six inches from around the
plum trees, scatteriRg II thinly over, The
surfacs of the orchard or garden, so that !
the pupe or the curculio may beexposed to
destruction. This should be done when the
trees commences 10 blossom. The cavity
around the trees sshonlA be filled with rich
muck OF. oE.oomp0st. In every large orchard
. considerable portion should be set apart
for growing psaches, plums and psars, %
these fruits tind ready market, and, when
they succeed well, are very profitable.
A CLKRK's MIsTAKE.-A Lake George
latter Describes an anusing made BY .
clerk at one of the hotels on the lake. he
had observed the devotion of man or 90 |
to . widowmuch younger, and, belieVipg
that m intrigue was going On accosted the
old man ssfs Fudsly. insimating that suehl |
were not allowed there. The
man Of go Hsw into q passion shreatened
10 chastise the impndens fellow and made
D grand scene. The sequel proved that he
wa ths wonpan's husband and had been
Tor ton ysars This clerk humbly apollo
vizad: J: expressed bis pr0Eound regret, but