The Portland daily press., 1880-06-16
AGRICULTURAL.
About Orchards,

In respect to the difference between early
and later planted orchards we suspect that
the principals cause is to be found in the
different condition of the soil. Our ances-
tors planted trees upon virgin soils which
had been gathering fertility from the repose
of ages, and the consequence was they took
deep root and laid broad their foundations;
our ancestors also settled upon the hillsides
and planted their orchards there where
they mad good drainage, an all important
requisite in successful orcharding.
Bad drainage is doubtless one of the chief
causes of the early decay of orchards As
rule, trees will not send their roots into
subsoil that during fall and spring, is satu-
rated with water, and if roots do find their
way here, they are generally killed by being
frozen during the winter or being drowned
by the next springs saturation. The roots
are thus confined to the range of the surface
soil, and in seasons of drouth there will be
insufficient moisture, and between the two
extremes of dryness above and water below,
is it any wonder that the trees die2 1t is
poor economy, therefore, to plant trees upon
land having wet subsoil for a considerable
portion of the year, without first thoroughly
draining it.
Another cause of the early decay of orch
ards may be found in the exhaustion of the
soils in which they are planted. The soil
may be in fair condition for crops when the
trees are planted, but the fault lies in the
subsequent treatment. In the forests the
soils will gather fertility while giving sup
port to the immense growth of trees which
they bear, but it is because the leaves fall
and decay upon the places where they
alight, annually gathering fertilizing sub
stances from the air, and transferring them
to the soils; nor is the soil exhausted by the
production of large quantities of frnit. On
the other hand, orchards are generally I'M
sheltered, and the autumn winds carry away
the leaves as they fall, robbing the trees of
all the benefits of their summer foliage and
returning no compensation to the soil for
what has been drawn out Every year also,
or every alternate year, large crop of fruit
is borne, the production of which is very ex-
hausting to the soil. Uuder these circum-
stances, and where nothing or scarcely any
thing is returned to the soil, is it matter of
wonder that such orchards become prema-
turely old and fail to make returns adequate
to the use of the land they occupy?
The exhaustion produced by the growth
of fruit trees is largely of the mineral SUBJ
stances of the soil, especially the potash and
the phosphates. heterogeneous substances
are but little demanded in tree growth, but
in the production of fruit they are very es-
sential, are the fesh-producing principles in
all fruits. A knowledge of these facts is
grounds. and dressing should be applied
with care and judgment. 1t follows, there
fore, that where the potash and phosphates
are exhausted in the soil the tree can make
little or no growth, and where there is an
insufficient supply of organic matter, the
fruit will be imperfect and will fall from the
tree prematurely. The dressing for orch
ards should combine all the elements of
growth and development of tree and fruit,
ic oh
be taken in mixing it to have all the re-
quired substances and in due proportion.
Wood ashes will supply the potash, and
bones ground or dissolved, the phosphates,
and well rotted stable manure will furnish
tho organic matter. Careful blowing of
orchard grounds that have long been
swarded over will increase their fertility by
letting in the air and sunlight, the COM
bined action of which by the aid of the rain
will unlock the elements of fertility which
have hitherto remained dormant.-Maine
Farmer. ts
A Kicking Cow.
A subscriber asks how he can break a COW
from kicking. In the first place, avoid all
harsh measures, and exercise tact, gentle
ness and patience. The trouble, in a ma
jority of cases, has been caused by indiscreet
handling. Many cows that are naturally
gentle in disposition have been ruined by
being excited, pounded, kicked and abused,
because they could not endure the pressure
upon distended orinfamed udders. Uniform
kindness, soothing tones of voice, rubbing
the head, brushing the coat of the animal,
and careful handling of the teats in milking
will in the majority of cases overcome the
kicking habit of a cow. Some cows, how
ever, seem to be 80 refractory that these
methods are useless. In such cases force is
necessary, but it should not be resorted to
until all other means have been exhausted.
various methods are employed among which
are: 1. The cows nose may be held by an
assistant while she is being MIXED. 2. The
head may be raised and tied to beam over
head, either by ring in the nose or by
rope passed round the horns. She will not
kick while the head is well raised. 3. The
hind legs may be strapped firmly together by
leathern band orrope just above the hooks.
l. The "anti-kicker" may be applied. This
consists of straight wooden bar extending
from below the middle of the shank-bone to
above the middle of the space between the
hook and stife. Near each end is fiat
smooth iron bow made to pass around the
front of the leg and to clasp it. Finally,
from the middle is a leather with a small
opening in the medium part to fit on the
front of the hook. When applied this is
passed round the leg at the point of the hook
and by means of one of series of holes near
its fore end, is fixed on an iron button on
the middle of the wooden bar.-Prairie
Farmer.
Maine Mining and Farming.
The statement that there are fourteen