The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-05-19
Unfit in Tree Planting,

Many farmers delay setting out fruit
trees till they have piece of ground
well prepared for an orchard and the
means to purchase q variety OF apple,
pear, and cherry trees. They desire for
some reason to have large number OF
trees mature at once and to commence
to produce fruit at the same time. They
have little regard for method in plant
ing annual crops, but they are very
anxious to plant fruit trees with mathc-
NAUTICAL precision. They arc careless
about the arrangement OF other things
in the field and garden, but they think
that fruit trees must stand like files OF
soldiers on dress parade. Farmers
whose fences are crooked, and who new
er pillow straightfurrows or have straight
rows of corn or potatoes, will DO atgrcat
pains to set fruit trees on exact lines
They are at no painsto have the ends of
a plowed field straight, but they will be
very particular in setting fruit trees so
that they will form rows in each direc-
ton.
Fruit trees do not suffer for want OF
companiOnship Solitary trees ordina-
rily live and thrive as well rs those that
..
tual protection, but it is often the case
that they cause mutual injury by stand
ing quite close together. Their roots
often spread so that they occupy ground
in common; their branches shade each
other, and insects find it easy to pass
from tree to tree A fruit tree once es-
tablishcd in solitary position is almost
certain to become strong and hardy. Its
branches will be near the ground and
they will be firmly united TO the trunk.
A fruit tree standing by itself is gener-
ally very productive. Its fruit ripens
well because it has the full benefit OF
the suns rays. The tree becomes large
for the reason that its roots can spread
in all directions and to long distance
and not come in contact with Others
1t is likely to attain q great age on &C
count of the hardness it acquires. The
pear and apple trees that are reported
as producing remarkably large crops
generally stand by themselves and in
somewhat exposed situations. Many Of
the oldest and most productive fruit
trees in the Eastern States were planted
outside of orchards. Sometimes they
were planted beside huge powders or
by the side of ravincs where the pillow
could not be worked. The sides OF
streams and ravines arc favorable places
for planting fruit trees. A tree standing
by itself is quite certain to receive Ut
tention. 1t is readily seen and injuries
To il are noticed. When a farmer has
| but few trees, and is in need Of fruit,
he is likely to take proper care OF them.
| He will not allow them to become In
tested by insects.
If an orchard is designed to contain
| IA trees, il would be an excellent plan
to plant twelve trees this season and
each year or each second year thereaf-
ter to plant twelve more. Tho trees
| planted each season would constitute Q
row, and tho orchard when completed
would be in the form of q square. BY
commencing with few trees farmer
would gradually become accustomed to
| the care of them. In tho west It Is ne
ccssary to ronew fruit trees quite often.
This is especially true of cherry trees,
and pear andapple trees that commence
to bear early. The Same trees cannot
be relied upon to produce fruit formany
wears in succession. There is another
Strong argument for setting out trees al
| different times. A constant improve
ment is going on in all kinds Of fruit
A farmer may set out tho best varietie:
known this year, but in a few year,
there will be varieties vastly superior tc
them in quality of fruit as well as pro
ductiveness. BY planting few tree'
at stated intervals one can secure all thu
best varieties known at tho timo Of set
ting, and in that way keep up with thu
progress of improvement. Tho plan O
setting out an orchard in tho way sug
gested commends itself to persons O
small means.