The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-06-09
THE APPLE ORCHARD.
WHY TREES DIE OUT WITHOUT GIVING
DUE RETURNS, WITH A REMEdY.

| DUE RETURNS, WITH A REMEDY.
A paper read before the Potomac
/ Fruit Growers at their April meeting
| points out the cause and the remedy for
apple trees that die out befor giving due
/ returns for the time and land they oc-
| cupy. Mr.. Poison began his paperwit h
| the assumption that a soil composed of
| clay, with subson composed of sand
| and gravel, is the proper composition
/ for healthy growth and long life of the
tree.
He said if such a location cannot be
had, or if an orchard is already growing
upon clay soil and upon subsoil, as many
| of the decaying orchards are, the reme-
/ dy is to lay deep under-dIains near
I enough together to thoroughly drain
every part. Apple trees cannot long en-
dure wet feet. 1t is a waste to plant an
| orchard where, however rich the soil
may be, there is a cold, impenetTatle
mass of wet clay. Light soils of sand
/ or gravel without a mixture of clay are
( unsuitable to the full development of
/ the tree and the profitable production of
| fruit.
| 1t is of the first Importance that tn e
1 varieties selected for a permanent or
chard should be such as have been pro-
we'd we'll adapted to the section. A
few thoroughly tested sorts for summer,
( fall and winter are decidedly preferable
/ to multitude of every kind advertised
by ambitious nurserymen.
Winter apples are the most desirable
to grow largely, provided we find good
varieties that will keep well. Timber
twig is placed first on the list for winter
in the Potomac region. The tree is a
vigorous grower, bears abundantantly
every year; the apples cling TO the tree
until n OvembeT, and will keep well un-
til April !; fruit medium size, subacid,
solid, rich and good flavor.
The Winsap and Carthouse or Roman
ite are excellent varieties trees vigOr-
Gus growers, full bearing every year,
but such extremely dry weather we have
had last season caused them to fall off
and rot early in the winter, The Pri-
mate is a large red and white apple,
very tender, juicy, rich flavor, bears
abundantly every year, commencing to
ripen in August after summer apples
are gone, and continues Iipening until
November. The other two varieties
named are too well known to need re-
commencing or describing.
The preparation of the soil should be
thorough by understanding if neces-
sary, as we have said by deep cultiva-
tiOn and enriching, so that the land
would raise good crop of corn. Set
the trees thirty feet apart each way if
the orchard is designed to occupy the
land exclusively.
Mulch around the trees every summer
until the limbs shade the ground suffi-
cient to protect the roOts from the hot
summer sun. The ground may be crop
ped with potatoes or corn for four or five
years until the trees get sufficient size
and strength for bearing. To bring the
trees into bearing, seed the land with
rye, clover and timothy in August.
After the ground is we'll covered turn
on flock of sheep, keeping them on un-
til October every year they will eat the
wormy apples as they fall, so that what
are left will be fair and sound, and the
fruit will continue to improve from year
to year they will keep down all suck
ers as far as they can reach, and the
land will not need blowing oftener than
once in four or five years. Destroy ev-
cry cocoon or caterpillar nest as soon as
they can be discovered.