The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-03-14
Hfpo'f" JoF fhe -6'ytS dHd MteHi
Care of Orchards.

The Deer Creek Farmers Club met at the res
idcnce of r. Harris Archer, on Saturday, March
Sth. After examining the premises, stock, &c,
the committee, Messrs. Rogers Hays and Loeb
airy, reported that everything about the place
was in the best condition They especially adj
mired team of horses, which were equal to any,
their condition showing the hest care The cat
tie also looked well. The committee noticed n
Short Horn heifer, which would do credit to any
herd. The arrangements for feeding the stock
were all on the most approved plan. The com
mittce complmcnted Mr.. Archer's tenant, Shad-
rach Johnson, colored, as good farmer, who
knows his business and attends to it,
"lIow shall we plant, treat and care for our
orchards| ~ was the subject discussed during the
evening.
Mr.. Archer said the first thing to be considered
was the location, and that far as fruit bearing
was concerned, the exposure appeared to make
no difference. Mr.. Archer would plant the or
chard on the north or northeast side of the house
to keep the winds off; 40 feet apart each way.-
When first planted peach trees should be planted
at equal distances between the apple trees. The
peach trees would die out before the orchard be-
came crowded. The ground should be good and
manured well every year for nine or ten years.
The trees should be pruncd every year during
the same period and trimmed high, so as to
give room to walk under them.
James Lee would plant 40 feet apart in the
rows and the rows "a feet apart. In this manner
you can have the trees about 40 feet apart
throughout. The fall of the year is the proper
time to plant. Would go South for winter ap-
pies, and North for fall apples. Peaches do no
good here, but pears succeed well. He cult
Yates the ground around pear trees for a few
years and then lets them alone
Bennett Barnes thought it would not pay to
plant more fruit frees than a farmer wants for
his own use. He agreed with Mr.. Lee as to the
manner of planting Peaches will not do well
work an apple orchard until the trees were of
good size then leave it alone and turn hogs in
it, Would trim high and keep the limbs thinncd
out
James II. Ball said he had known nourishng
orchards to be ruined by deep blowing He had
watched, on the other hand, the effects of neg
lect, and had seen orchards decay and die from
want of pruning and proper care. Mr.. Ball
favored spring planting, and thought we should
go South for our trees. Apples that keep well
Winter apples in the North are fall apples here
The pear seemed to do better by neglect than
with cultivation. He believed the pear blight
was oftener caused by disturbing the earth
around the roots than from any other cause
Mr. Ball has been very successful in growing
grapes. He said they should be pruned in Feb
ruary. They need cultivation, and the surface
should be kept free of grass, but you cannot cul-
tivate deeply, on account of the roots being near
fine surface. They may be MANFRED with leached
ashes or bone dust. Barn-yard manure makes
too much vine and little fruit. Mr., Ball said he
knew successful apple grower who never trim
med his trees He held that cutting out even
dead wood was disadvantage. There might
have been something in the soil. Trees grow
more rapidly when young from cultivation, but
he did not know how long they should be culti-
waited.
VIM Munnikhuysen said he had planted an
orchard, which is in full bearingnow. The trees
were bought from Northern nurseries, and turn
ed out to be all fall apples. He had tried many
times, but can not raise peaches. He had plant
ed pear trees in the garden, where they regli
larry worked They took the blight and would
not bear. Having changed the garden, one of the
tree was left out. No attention was given it, il
was never worked afterwards, and has since been
bearing heavily.
John Moores said he would select q north or
northeast exposure, on dry piece OF ground, or
would drain it, If wet Would dig ditch be-
tween every row and fill In the ditch with stone
That would be a benefit to the trees Would first
pillow deep and subsoil; make the ground rich
with bone dust and stable manure well stirred
in to good depth. Would dig the holes in the
fall, allowing them to stand open all winter. In
digging the holes would place the enriched sur
face soil on one side and the subsoil on the other
The frost during the winter would well pulyerize
this loose soil In planting in the spring he |
would place the surface soil next to the roots |
and fill in afterwards with the surface soil. The
latter being on top would discourage tho growth |
of grass and weeds for several years. The trees |
should be "a feet apart That is not too close for
an average orchard. Would plant In every other |
row some old-fashioned standard varieties, such |
as the York Imperial, Winesap and G,.indstonc, |
which live long time. In the alternate rows |
would plant the best new varieties such as Falla-
water, &c. The latter would die out before the |
the orchard became too crowded. He worked |
his orchard seven years in potatoes. Then he
sowcd grass In 1t, built hog house and turned |
hi hogs In. The borers had given him a great |
deal OF trouble previously. In one corner there is
o hog wallow. The hogs rub themselves against |
the trees, and bestow on them liberal coat of |