The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-05
Cultivation of Orchards.

ossible, the best plan. His expert ne
nents include nearly every reasonable or
node of culture and non.culture. ne IN
eports for the past season on this SUBJ IN
ect as fOllJws: q
"Experiments were begun on the pl
apple orchard, in 1873, by cultivatlng
he ground about some Of the trees, q
eaving others in grass, and in applying Il
Darnyard manure and ashes. Most OF o
these have been continued to the present C.
time, but full results have not yet been I
reached in all cases. So far, tilling the +,
land has given the best success in the il
healthfulness and bearing of the trees. il
Small circles cultivated about the trees r
were no better than those wholly IN {
grass, for the obvious reason that most
Of the roots extended beyond those cir |
Giles. On the other hand, and for the {
same reason, a circle of grass out nearly {
as far as the extension of the limbs did
little or no harm to l5-year trees where
the ground beyond them was cultivated.
Trees Of that age wholly in grass grow
slower, produce less fruit, OF smaller
size and poorer quality than those well
cultivated. Thinning the apple crop
when the fruit is quite small has been
found very profitable operation"
These experiments, when completed,
will be of great value, and experiments
of the same kind should be systemati-
cally carried on by all the State agricul.
tural colleges, and then all collected and
averaged by the results. In such lines
of experiments our colleges of this kind
can be of immense benefit, and fulfil
the designs of those who instigated
them. One point in these orchard cul'
ture experiments we wish to call espeec"
ial attention to, to wit: "Small circles
cultivated about the trees were no pet
ter than those wholly in grass, tor the
obvious reason that most of the (teed-
ine) roots extended beyond these circles.
On the other hand, and for the same rea-
son, q circle of grass out nearly as tar as
the extension of the limbs, did little or
no harm to trees fifteen years planted,
; where the ground beyond them was cul'
: tivated.''
These quotations cover mistakes
3 made by very many: for instance, how
, often do we see men of good intelligence
. recommend the placing, ''the piling up
r of manure or other fertilizers around
$ the stems of trees long planted, wheu
reason should teach any one that there
e were no feeding roots within twelve te
$ twenty feet of such manure! and also
y digging and tilling Immediately arount
the stem of an old tree, and calling i
8 cultivating them. As we'll might the!
n place brick. bat at the base OF the tree
Q SO far as such work could be OF an.
e benefit to the tree. Of course the rain
is will leach out the manure and some
is it may reach the feeding roots. But j
r is very much better to apply culture an
re manure where it is certain to have som
e, immediate effect, namely, under 81
&c tremities. of the branches; and beyon
d, this is where the active feeding roots al
III found.
he { Our plan for cultivating a bearing 0
e. chard-and we ask for none better, on
A. that We want better tool than the cor
": mon pillow to stir the soil with is
nd pillow the ground between the rows OF
N. wav. not trying to pillow very near Il
lr- stem Of the trees, about the first of Nj
'er with common turning pillow, then
on ten DAYS harrow thoroughly, then in t
'ry DAYS again, and then about the tenth
he June plow the orchard the other va
IN then harrow three times as before: II
Inc plan we adopted after q great dea!
the study and experiment. We reasoned
'ck this way: if We should pillow the orcha
to both ways, turning all the ground pos
am BILE, we would destroy so many roots
ew' to give the orchard severe check,
ntl- by blowing it between the rows only c
sto- way at q time we leave at least nall
EN- roots undisturbed, and the trees are
checked at all. And we cared not b
many roots we plowed up between
trees one wav; we knew the undisturl
roots would hold the trees in thrift u
ner the broken roots could put forth Z
feeding roots in the fresh, mellow, plo'
IN IS land. This kind of culture is adap
OH to high, dry, rather poor hill lard;
richer and more moist soilit would b
ntle, to be modified to suit, for so long a
anu orchard of bearing trees is maxim
snug growth of from six to fifteen I'M
the yearly it has vigor enough: There
'aoa be no general plan tor the cultur
orchards given, for the culture Of
Doly orchard must be according to its
20 as and requirements. The cultivation
MS essary on a thin, dry soil would O
an orchard on q richer, moister 80
ecep- run Ill to wood, with little or no I
mon Rich, level, or prairie soils shout
J, last: tfsated very differently from thin,
" OF hill soils; when planted in orchard
Mr.. should generally be laid down in g
no 3 and the thrift Of the trees keptup in
next by cutting back and thinning out
= =. outer branches, and by surface mi
J, u ing, and eventually by blowing ma
ek; . strips between the rows.-PrairH
ounds "'''f 80 j 1--we
tureen Antique Dentistry.
,,ished( orr Of the subjects which i no,
Hill, ercising the Ingenuity OF me GEM
|, head who compose the British Odontol'
ening, Society Is wne!ner Wy ~. y ~
ct her teeth or binding 'tnem sogDcaol
,rus At known to the ancients. The disc
, Miss Is still being carried on in the !
: Of . Medical Journal, and up TO the p
,proud moment it would appear tnas me =:
: ~ ment leans in favor Of the dentistic
md pa- Of our progenitors. Sir Gafdlne
nerican kinson affirms that TEEN stoPpe
alton Of gold have been found IN EgyPhsn
Dinkle- mics, and other learned gentlame'
lrop on vigorously that the thing u an an
}. subl- biGty.. DR.. John Gaigor, in joint
interesting discussion, says that
er.;rat Etruacan Muaanm of C0rnetO.