The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-10
APPLES,
Something About Planting and Raising
Them.


Springfield Republican.
Whether IN apple orchard should be
planted in the autumn or In the spring Is u
matter which each orchArdist must decide
for himself. There are advantages 10 the
fall planting which that Of spring does not
have aud rice pcTd. In the TALL, trees have
a comparative rest from growth in which
wounds OF the roots may heal, and the
trees may become well settled in the soil
during the winter. But there arc also OBJ.
irctiOns to this time for planting. The
trees are more liable TO be blown over by
the severe winds, unless they are firmly
brnced, but more especially the close
pruning required, together with their re-
muval from the sheltered nursery TOws,
rxposes them rather too suddenly for their
good TO the iiet King and lhawing oil late
winter and spring. For the latter reason,
mainly, We prefer spring planting and u
some u the readers OF The Republican may
BE- planning this winter to set out younger
Chards in the spring, outline Of the neces.
sary work may be Of interest.
The first step In the preparation Tor the
orchard is thorough pulverizatiOn Of tue
soil. An orchard should never be set out
in sod ground, with only lew feet about
the TREE broken up. Tue roots OF the young
tree will grow very rapidly In loose, mel
low soil, but through sod and deep running
roots oil various other kinds their progress
In growth will be slow. The best soil for
au orchard Is one Of clay and sand, or n
deep Alluvial; trees cannot grow where the
land is continually wet, hence It 10 neces-
sary to have It well drained. A good plan
is 10 sink o tile drain between the rows
VI trees. This may seem an unnecessary
expense 10 some, but they will surely be
repaid in more and better fruit In after
yeaR A good soil for fruit trees must
contain certain amount OF potash, phOs-
phoriC acid, soda, lime, etc, in the right
proportions. Nothing has, as yet, been
said about manuring the orchard, but un.
less the soil is already very rich, this Is 6.
sentill. The manure must be well mixed
into the pulveriZed soil, not simply spread
upon the surface OF the ground. The whole
field should be in Gs good condition aS for
II crop oigrAin; but do not apply manure
directly 10 the roots Of the trees. Good
fertilizers to apply toan orchard are bones,
ish, wood asher, mar, lime, and super
phosphaleS. When orchards are run
down" aud bear hut little fruit, the above
fertilizers will be found beneficial.
The best distance apart to plant must be
determined largely by the sort Of trees that
are 10 be let, that is, by their habit Of
growth. In no case shOuldthey be closely
set as 10 have their branches meet or inter.
Irvine when they have attained full growth.
Better have plenty OF room 10 20 about be.
tween them with the ladder when Time for
picking The fruit arrives. Aud Il should |
also be remembered that the roots Of the
tree extend rs far from the tap root as the |
branches or liuIbs do from the body and
the more room they have to feed the
greater their growth. A distance OF thirty |
feet Is about the thing for most orchard
trees some people prefer forty or fOrty.ive,
but perhaps thirty IS II good average. In
setting the trees be sure to have the rows
straight, nOihingmarsthe appearance Of an
orchard 80 much rs crooked rows. Then do
not set thetrets toodeep. Here Is a mistake
that is often made. When trees are SET
too deep they will send out little system
nt rOotlets one or two inches below the SIR.
face, which IL not desirable. Agood rule
is 10 set them ~ deep as they previously
grew in the nursery, aud give the roots
plenty OF mellow soil TO work In, filling all
the intersticrs Of the roots and rootlets with
line earth. Set the trees firmly and do not
mutildte the roots, II possible. II dry
weather follows the planting keep the soil
over und around the roots loose and mel.
low, and il may be good idea to throw a
mulch about the body Of the tree; this is
better than to water them continually. |
Ire sshOuld besGt rs soon as possible after
leaving the nursery and all unnecessary
limbs and root pruned away.