The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-05-27

pearance as to rows and size Of trees-
The average farmer will say wait. his
horror of unsymmetry in the orchard
overcoming all other Considerations.
lt is well TO take into consideration
that large orchardo of young, growing
trees is fan extremely difficult fhins to
manage. There are so many different
theories as TO their needs by those who
are experts, the conditions of their sue
cessful growth are so intricate and SEEM
ingly changeable, that they become al
most an " elephant" even on the hands
of one who has spare time and means;
and the many orchards i'm our vicinity,
the trees of which were set out at once
and in perfect order, that are now con-
sidered failures in beauty and in worth,
attest not so much to the laziness of the
owners Ito which they are generally
attributed) as TO the great difficulty and
almost impossibility of bringing to a
successful termination such an under
taking. The orchard at the Agricult-
ural College is considered failure, and
there is some talk of tearing it up, root
and branch. The many reasons given
for the failure are undoubtedly correct;
there was poor SOIL poor management,
and insufficient means; but il exactly
illustrates the point which we wish to
make. If the Agricultural College fails
in making a beautiful and paying
orchard by starting it at one time, how
can the average farmer, who certainly
has no better soil and much less skill
and means hope to succeed?
The farmer should, as early as posi-
BILE, put out a few fruit trees, and add to
them year after year until his orchard is
as large as he desires. There are many
advantages resulting from this method
over that of waiting and setting all at
once, hardly compensated for by SYM
metry and beauty of the orchard even if
they can be obtained His few trees
will cost but little money and labor, and
II, in his ignorance, he makes mistakes
in their care, the experience will not be
dearly bought. He can gradually be-
come accustomed to caring for them,
and his acquired knowledge can be used
to better advantage on young trees than
on those that have grown under the
blighting influence of his ignorance. It
is well to have new trees coming into
bearing at different times with large
crops; it will equalize the yields between
the different years, and thus better dis
tribute the farmers work New varie-
ties OF fruit are constantly appearing
and much improvement is being made,
which can be taken advantage of in this
way. 1t is the experience OF many that
fruit trees do not necessarily do best
when associated with others. and many
examples of remarkable growth and
yields are given of solitary trees by the
side of some road or stream With a
little precautiOn in furnishing shelter
from the fiercest winds, a few trees
standing alone with plenty of room may
do better than if they were in large
orchard. Their roots and branches will
have no obstacle in the way of near
neighbors, and the sun will have bet
ter chance to do his part. There is no
particular advantage in trees growing in
an orchard, although mutual protection
is afforded; but it is often the case that
they cause mutual injury. A few trees
will generally be better tended than an
orchard of many trees, for they require
less time, and the crop of fruit being
small at the best, the farmers home
supply depends upon the closest atten-
ton, while a large orchard is almost
sure OF furnishing enough fruit for home
even if much neglected. -
Lansing Republican.