Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-12-16
Apple Orchards.

One Of the most successful apple
growers of New York, says the Prairie
Farmer, secures the highest results by
the following management of his or
chards; "My young apple orchards
are kept in hoed crops, and MANFRED
enough to keep the soil in good condi
ton until they have been set about
twelve years. At this age, if they
have been we'll taken care of and are
on suitable soil, they will bear about
one barrel per tree. Then give
thorough summer fallow, and seed in
the fall with winter rye and timothy.
Isow clover also the following spring,
and turn sheep.into pasture when the
rye is a foot and a half high. The rye
will keep growing up again as the sheep
feed it off, 80 that it will make ample
protection for the young grass. Enough
sheep should be kept to eat every APP
pie as it falls. This is the very best
way to get rid of the worms, as they
are in the apple when it first drops,
and if eaten up Immediately or before
they leave the fruit, of course it makes
an end of them. The sheep should be
taken out before apple picking in the
fall and kept out until all the good
fruit has been secured. Pasture the
orchard in this way for four or five
years, depending on the growth the
trees are making. The object in plow-
ing is to keep the trees in proper grow
ing condition. Six inches is ample
growth of the limbs of bearing trees to
make per year. The fourth or fifth
year pillow and fallow as before and
seed with rye and grass again, but pas
ture also with enough sheep to consume
all dropping fruit. A moderate amount
of manure should be applied in the fall
every other year and spread over the
entire surface covered by the top, and
not piled around the trunk of the tree
as many do. The sheep pasturing is
very important, as it is the best way to
destroy the greatest enemy fruit grow
ers encounter, the worms Of the cod
ding moth. Pruning may be done in
winter when the trees are not frozen,
or at any time previous to blossOming.
Every limb that points inward and
those that touch or cross others should
be removed and when two limbs form
very acute angle one should be cut
out, as they are liable to split when
when loaded with fruit. Prune so as
to form erect and open tops, that sur
and air may have free access. dc
not consider it advantageous to scrapt
the bodies and wash with I've and white
wash as some recommend. This re
moves part Of the protection that ma
ture designed for the tree, and the sui
is liable to scald the trunk. To pre-
vent sheep from gnawing the bark, us'
the following make a strong soal
suds; add one-fourth part whale OF
soap to every eight gallon of suds, anC
into this mixture stir all the sheel
droppings it will dissolve till of tn
consistency of thick whitewash. Appl.
with brush or old broom as often a
it may become washed off," Sheep ar
much better than hogs for an orchard
as they are more active to pick upever.
apple as soon as it drops, and it is NOR
practicable to keep them in sufficien
f numbers to effect the desired object
The writer has over fifty acres of bear
ing orchard and knows from experienc
that any owner of an orchard who wi
faithfully carry out the directions give
above will be many dollars ahea
thereby every year.