The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-05-27
Planting Orchards.


to select the most favorable spot on thu
farm. 1t should have medium position
as regards exposure and the influences
OF the season; it requires furthermore 1
soil with good natural drainage. Where
winters are uniform in temperature anC
cold spring frosts do not prevail, the
main difficulties to guard against are tht
high winds from the west and north tha
injure the blossoms and blow off the frui
before it is mature. In such sections o.
country the situation should be chosen
for the orchards where some natura
obstacle, as hill or belt of woods, viii
break the force of destructive winds, OF
II this is not possible, a belt or border OF
rapidly-growing trees should be planted
! simultaneously with the setting out OF
the orchard. In other sections where late
spring frosts prevail a high location with
northern exposure is best; an eastern
and southern exposure and low grounds
are to be avoided. A cold locality acts
as partial preventive against destruc-
ton by late spring frosts, because it keeps
the fruit buds back. In some portions
OF the West, as in Illinois and Wisconsin,
fruit trees are liable to be killed by the
exceedingly variable winters. In such
localities choose elevated dry, firm soil,
rich enough to produce solid, we'll
matured growth. There is in most sec
tions OF country experience enough to be
found among neighboring cultivators to
guide beginners in deciding the important
matter of sites for orchards, and no one
should venture to set out a permanent
orchard without availing himself of this
experience.
As regards soils, bear in mind that
peaty or mucky and damp, cold and
spongy ones are wholly unfit for fruit
orchards of any kind. Apples and pears
as rule thrive best on dry, deep, sub
stantial soil, between sandy and clayey
loan, and possessing among its morgan
ic parts considerable portion of lime. 1t
is the belief of many farmers that apples
grown on clayey soils possess better
keeping qualities than those grown on
light soils. The most enduring peach
orchards are found on dry, sandy loans.
Peach trees grown ON loose, light sands,
with the occasional dressings of good
compost, fruit well but do not live long.
Generally speaking, the plum delights in
a rather stiff clayey loan. though some
sorts, as the Mirabelle, succeed well on
light soils. The cherry thrives best on
light, dry, warm soil. In orchards
where apples, pears, peaches, plums,
etc., are planted promiscuously, what is
commonly termed sandy loan with
sandy clay subsoil is best. On such
soil all the hardy fruits will thrive, other
conditions being favorable. Under all
circumstances the soil of an orchard must
possess for most successful results the
Inorganic substances, such as lime and
potash, and goodly proportion of vege-
table mould.
AS it is imperative that the soil be deem
and in good filth, the ground designed
for an orchard is best plowed the pre-
vlous season, and again before the trees
are set. The season of planting, in real
ity, may extend any time after the fall
OF the leaf by frost in autumn, until it's
temperance in the spring, provided the
ground is not frozen, Spring and fall
are, however, the usual seasons, spring
being generally conceded to be the best
time for setting out the stone fruits.
A selection of varieties should be in
f1uenced by the wants and circumstances
OF the grower. Here again the expert
ence and advice of cultivators in the
same locality will be of invaluable as
sistance. Large orchards, for profit. |
should be made up of well proved varie-
ties that have been tested in the same To-
cality and soil. Whatever the variety,
low, stout trees are to be preferred to tail, |
slender ones. Especially in elevated and
exposed positions are low trees the best.
The usual arrangement of orchard |
trees is In the square form in rows the |
same distance apart and an equal dis
tance between each other. This is the
plan and is most employed in
small orchards. An operation of setting
which is somewhat complicated, but
which gives more space for light and air,
IS what is called the quincunx. In this
The trees of one row are opposite the
spaces in the next. In apple orchards
thirty feet from tree to tree in all direc-
ions is the usual rule. Standard pear
,rees require about twenty-five feet.
reach trees are preferable at one year
Did only from the bud and should be set
1t distance of say fifteen feet Stand
ard cherries may be transplanted at one
year from the bud and should not be
over two years. About twelve feet apart
$ the distance usually observed for this
ruit. Plum trees for orchard standards
should be about two years old from the
graft, with stems say three feet high
hey are usually planted the same dis
ance as peaches. Ounces are advised
o be at least two years old, and they
nay be three from the layer or bud; set
hem twelve feet apart.
AS trees invariably lose some of their
cots when taken up from the nursery,
is necessary to cut back the branches
t the time of planting, that proper bal
nee shall exist between the stem and the
cots OF the tree. The roots ought also
be relieved of all bruised points. The
round having been previously prepared
y blowing or trenching, holes should be ..
ug deep and wide enough to admit the
cots, which when carefully spread out
natural positions may be filled in with
ne earth gently trodden down with the '
Dot, more earth filled in, more tramping
own of earth and so on until the exca, {
alton is filled. When the trees are .
'rge and in exposed positions it is well S