The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1883-04-12
for the farmer.
MAKING AN APPLE ORCHARD.

Il has been truly said, that If more fruit and
less 10, at eaten, the business OF physicians
and undertakes would decline, and II wonld
tend TO a more economical mode Of living
of all fruits the apple only can be cultivated
with success in almost any climate in the Unit
-, States and the variety of uses which 1t sub
si yrs as well rs its great productiyeness, cnti-
tie il 10 the first place in importance. Atten-
tinn then, 10 the hest methods of cultivation IL
imnnriant 10 all farmers whose lands are adaP-
ted ia il.
Wiihou, II all lisparasing the nursery bust
ness for several reasons IL seems TO me that a
farmer ought 10 raise and graft his own orchard.
n. can in this way, raise trees which are more
likely Ia succeed, because change OF location
is generally unfavorable TO the health Of young
tree, and, if he CRAFTS his own fruit, he feels
sure that il i'll not be worthless. Moreover,
however careful and honest nurserymen them
selves may he, their agents often misrepresent
or exaggerate for tho sake Of making sales, and
trees coming from a distance are very liable TO
arrive in a bad condition. II farmer pays
dollar for a tree, aud it proves to be worthless
when il bears fruit he has not only lost his dol
lar but also a large amount of labor expended
in caring for it. In addition TO all the above
/ reasons there is a pleasure in being independ-
eut nor is there any department on the farm
which may he made more interesting than The
nursery.
Ii is no wonder that farmees' sons aspire to go
to the city, 10 some place where their
ideas of daily life may he broadened, II they are
chained to the eeaseless round of just 50 many
acres of corn, potatoes, oats, etc, year after
| year while other branches of agriculture are
| left TO the specialists. quarter of acre, devot-
ed TO a nursery. would be sufficient TO raise one
| thousand trees large enough for transpianting,
| and would scarcely be missed from the farm.
The seeds which may be taken from the pulp
| of n cider m H. sonld he planted just before the
| ground freezes in the fall They may he plant
ed in hills about as far apart as corn, and fertl-
lied with i mixture OF peat and wood ashes, ii
| the land has been long cultivated, In; stable
| manure and any refuse matter which Il added
| TO this mixture would improve it 10y giving
| variety of elements.
| Carr should be taken ia plant several times
| As many seeds in a hill as the number Of trees
| required. because Il large proportion Of them
| are very liable not To gcrmInate. In regard to
| the kind of seed used, seeds from grated frnit
| generally produde sickly trees or none at all ;
| while, on the other hand, that the seed has an
| influence upon the fruit even after tile tree Is
| grated there is no doubt. We are therefore to
| conclude that the best seeds TO use are those
| from vigorous trees hearing the best natural
fruit. II these canuQt he procured, the next
best resource is the pulp from the cider mill
CULTIVATION.
The seedlings should be gradually Trimmed
out during the first summer, until there are but
two or three III hill, and IN the early part Of
the second summer one of these should be des.
troyed, leaving the most thrifty for grating
Contradictory as the statement may seem, II the
ground is too moist it should be stirred often Il
induce dryness; and if too dry, to induce mois
ture: in the former case, exposure To the sur
and air sets free the excess OF wafer, while IL
the latter the lO0seness of the surface soil
brought about by frequent and deep cultiya
| ton, allows the moisture To rt>r W're readily
from below.
GRATING.
When the seedlings are one or. At most, tw,
e0a IL ta
been practiced most successfully with SINAI
trees in the following manner: The scions ar
cut late in the spring, before showing any sign
OF growing, taking care 10 cut of the twIs jus
a little back of the last years growth, but usin;
only the last years growth. They are placed u
a cool cellar, in contact with the soil, aud use
after the buds of the trees begin to swell. Ii tn
extreinitics of the sciOns are soft and immature
they must he cut OFF and thrown away, as onl
the ripened wood is suitable to set as scions.
Splice grating is the best adapted 10 tree
of this size, and, if performed carefully, nearl
always succeeds. Scarf of the stock and scioI
about one and half inch in length. and, b
cutting downward in the stock aud upward i
the scion, tongue Is raised on each which Is ut
ted firmly into the cut of the other.
Wind around the joint coarse wooden yarn
or a kind of mating, and apply wax 50 that n
air can have access TO the joint. This kind {
grating succeeds best when the stock and scio
are precisely of the same size III they are no
: have the inside bark Of the scion and stoc
| meet OH one side. Much has been written abOu
cutting and preserving scions, Int the simples
method seems preferable
Some say, cut them in autumn and pack theI
/ in moist sawdust OF earth, while others recon
mend March nr April; bat the most successful
grating has been done by cutting the scioI
: when they are used, provided they are used b'
: fore the trees begin to grow in the spring.
would be impossible To f1retell the exact tin
all
cutting grain, for the time must of course var
with the forwarlness of the spring.
rs soon as the scUns begin to grow, I'll
/ sprouts which shoot up from the roots and stel
of the tree must he rubbed of, or they will d
prive the scion of sap This process IL to he II
peated at intervals daring the first Srasnn aft
/. grating.
D PRUNING, FIT.
2 A little careful pruning in the latter part
: the first summers growth will give the gratis
symmetrical form, which cannot 50 easily !
J, brought abont in their later growth. Augu
X and September, according to locality, are I'll
d best months for pruning because then the 81
!: is thick and hence the mntilate, parts do M
bleed they would in June, bat arr Soundl
healed over. II it is done early in the summe
especially in the ease of large trees, the juit
flows out out freely blackening the bark, N
makes an unsonnd place, which, thong
: sometimes it may heal, retains a seed of deca
! In the pruning young trees, much waste WOO
IT may be prevented by pinching of buds AT I'll
l. proper time, and thus shaping the tree acco
d ding to ones taste. SHch method is far MOI
u economical and effective than the wholesa
butchering pTactieed by professionals with the
saws and pruning hooks; but of COURSE whe
early neglect has rendered it impracticahl". I'll
= latter method must be adopted.
If the soil is dry, light mulch can he profit
e bly, applied, or, If this cannot he convenient
d procured. few stones placed ah"ut the REQ
/ good substitute.
20 If weeds aud grass allowed {" grow anon
the trees. they will harrison mice; hence a
ground should be kept well hoe,l, aud for Il
same reason the mulrh uust lac removed
r. the fall.
TRANSFORMING.
Is One man Ought not to transplant morc than
IT dozen trees Il day, if it is properly done. III
D" ground, having been rendered mellow by Il
cultivation of some root crop, should be eurcl
ed with a variety Of fertilizers, among whiI
e potash aud lime arr important. Dig the hOl,
r larger 10y several feet than the roots requir
and before placiu. the earth upon the roots, mi
II with the fertilizer. 50 that the tree can imm
diately find nourshment. To hold the tree
position place several large stones about it, an
after setting il, shorten in the branches, for il
ii always safer 10 relieve it of some of its wood
II ter trausplanting, because its roots, having ST
Il fered a shock and having been diminished
number, if not mutilated, are unable {" suppn
the whole top.-N. \. ObscTrCr.
Early Planting.
e" IL cannot be too often or with too much cI
phass recalled to the farmers minds that il
the carly crop which has far the greatest secul
y ty of being the full crop. Ii is not because ia
/, mers do not know this fact themselves and knO
!, it much better than only observers from tow
- =. l.