The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1879-01-30
"What Il Good Care Of an Or
chard9'

Ouk4u8 toe PaSt we WcTe very muCu
surprised, in reading the reports Of the
farmers clubs throughout the country,
70 find the above subject for discussion
1t the January meeting of no less than
five Of these popular organizations. We
think the question pertinent one, and
well worthy the consideration of the
the intelligent classes of which these
clubs are composed, and hope much
good may result from the January dis
cussions. In view of this we will offer
. few suggestions, hoping that some
facts may be CLEANED from what we say,
at least sufIicie to open the way to in
vestigation.
We should bound the period through
which the care of the orchard ought to
extend with the preparation Of the soil
to receive the trees as the beginning,
and the death or, utter uselesspess of the
trees themselves as the end.
First, then, the soil. In this there is
great need of caution, especially with
new beginners, or those who have paid
but little attention to orchard culture
heretofore. Everything in our ability
should be done to not only secure a
suitable place, but to render the soil
perfect in SO far as possible as relates to
the production Of strong vigorous
growth. Water should not stagnate
about the roots of the trees, hence dry
elevated position should be selected, or,
this being impracticable, the land should
be SO situated that it could be well
drained. The soil should be loose and
mellow-mixed togcther-so the fibrous
roots will get food, hence the field should
be plowed and replowed both on the
surface and deep down into the subsoil.
In order to get good growth Of tim
Der and large yield Of fruit, the constit-
uents entering into the composition of
either or both must be taken from the
soil; hence we must make the field rich
and keep il SO or else we will fail.
In planting trees as well as in every
other farm operation what is worth do
ing at all is worth doing well hence the
tree should be planted in the most
skillful manner. This will pay, if in
nothing else than the rapid growth of
the orchard. II is easy to gain or lose
good years growth by skillful or care
less planting.
II is claimed by an intelligent CORE
spondent of valuable horticultural
contemporary that many fail to plant
trees and care for them properly through
ignorance. This is very poor excuse.
for at the present time there are plenty
Of papers containing the experiences OF
successful orchardists, if the people will
only take the pains to provide them
selves with them. AS proof of this a
little incident comes up to our mind
that occurred some years ago. A yer,
intimate personal friend Of ours was
planting peach trees i'm the field adjoin-
ing an orchard of our own which we had
taken great pains to make a success.
This friend was very sanguinc that his
orchard would equal ours, and that he
would eat the luscious fruit in two or
three years. The nurseryman had as
surcd him that four years at the longest
would see the trees prolific bearers if he
took good care of them. We'll, he began
his care in this way: very rich and rath-
er heavy soil, which had been under sod
a number of years was chosen: holes
about one foot square and ten inches
deep were dug through the tough turf
with spade into each of these shov-
clfull Of hen manure was placed; the
trees were then crammcd into the hole
with their roots all in a heap, and the
hole filed with earth. There" said
our friend, "I'll beat Elsom yet" and
he lett the trees TO take care of them
selves.
About this this time we went abroad,
returning in about two years, and about
the first thing we visited our friends or
chard. 1t was not visible. Only now
and then where tree should have stood
there stuck out of the earth straight.
dry stick, like an OK CAD, devoid OF
branches or leaves. Yet we doubt not
that our friend thought he had done all
that was required, and doubtless attrib-
uted his failure to the stock, and lost ali
faith in nurserymen in general and the
one he had purchased of in particular
Journal Of agriculture.