Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-27
Sheen In the Orchard.

The practice Of lseel,ing sheep in the
apple from the time the fruit
begins to fall till the approach of cold
weather, is gaining favor wherever it
has been introduced. Most orchard
lists recommend seeding an orchard to
grass as soon as the trees are sufficient
ly large to produce fair crop of fruit.
In fact it is difficult to cultivate the
soil after this period without doing
more harm than good to the trees
Constant blowing is likely to result
in barking the trunks OF the trees, in
breaking limbs that are near the
ground and in injuring the roots that
arc near the surface. No crop of any
considerable value can be raised after
the trees are large enough to shade
most of the land. 1t is difficult to
gather apples i'll an orchard where the
ground between the trees has been re-
Gently plowed.
Apples arc most easily harvested in
an orchard where the surface of the
ground is covered with short, soft
grass. tits difficult to NOW the grass
in the orchard either with machine
ora hand-scv the. fla machine is used
it is likely to be injured. The Grass
that grows in an orchard is wanted as
a fertilizer for the trees, and should be
employed for that purpose. BY keep
ing sheep in an orchard the grass will
be kept short, and nearly all the weeds
and suckers destroyed. Sheep will
sometimes eat the bark OF trees if
there is 4 scarcity OF food and water,
but this habit may be prevented by
occasionally smearing the trunks of
the trees with some substance that
will render the bark diStastcful.-
Sheep will keep the grass in an or
chard short, and cause it to become
thick and soft, so that apples falling
unon il at harveSt-time will not be
injured.
Bv keeping sheep in an orchard the
fertility of the soil is insured, and the
trees kept in q thrifty state. Ii not
more than ten sheep are kept Oh each
acre in trees, the grass and the apples
that fell in consequence of being bit
ten bv insects, or OH account of the
winds. will furnish them sufficient
supply of food. The number OF sheep
NAV be increased to supplying some
grain which may be fed ont i'll long
boxes raised short distance from the
ground or placed directly on the grass.
a daily ration OF grain viii be very BEN
eticial to sheep that are eating succu-
lent food as grass that grows i'll the
shade and juicy apples, as it supplies
the elements of food that are lacking
in these substances. In fact there can
be no better variety presented than
grass, apples, and corn or oats.
Bv feeding considerable grains large
number of sheep may be kept i'll an
orchard with the greatest advantage
both to the animals and trees. The
manure of sheep is not only very rich
in fertilizing materials, but 1t Is well
distributed. The presence of the drop
pings Of sheep under trees where fruit
is TO he gathered is not Objectionable
as is that of the droppings of cattle
and horses. When sheep are kept in
orchards pains should be taken to sup
plv them with salt and water. If
there is no water OH the ground, and
there is none in the majority OF cases,
the sheep should be let out st least
once day and allowed to go to a
spring, stream, or we'll. If they are
fed grain on their return from water
ing they will require no driving.
Sheep are of great advantage to an
orchard in destroying the codling
moth, which is at present the worst
pest of the apple. A large portion Of
the apples that fall from the time they
first set till they get ripe contain
worms, which are the cause Of their
becoming detached from the tree
Sheep eat all these apples and thereby
prevent new brood of moths from
returning to the trees. 1t is true that
all the apples that contain worms do
not fall before they are ripe. Many
remain Oh the tree till harvest time
and are gathered and taken to the cell
lar. Still, sheep, when they have the
run of an orchard, keep the moths III
check.
The late Greene Smith, the only son
of Gerrit Smith, was famous shot,