The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-08-01

.t1s fzi-.
Many people do not think that IN
orchard needs any special care. They
do not grow fruit Is they grow other
crops, Tor which they carefully prepare
the soil and carefully cultivate for the
purpose of making the crop better and
/: more abundant. The orchard, in too
! many instances, is set out W thout care
and never has any care afte ward. It,
is true that an apple orchard will often
do we'll even under such neglect, but.
care In the preparation of the soil and
good care afterward will paw q fine per
cent. of profit f r al the time and laborf
that is expended. The sub ect OF drain4
age will be the very rst 10 present it
self in the consideration of site for an
orchard. Everybody knows that wet
land will not answer; and nobody would
select low wet field for an orchard
site. Many times, however, a portion
of a field which elsewhere Is all right
for an or hard, is too wet for trees. and
it i folly to plant trees on that portion
unless it is drained. 1t is OF no use to
think that, perhaps. they will amount
to something even if they are not as
good as the balance of the keld willpro-
duce Either drain or do not plant the
trees: and whenever drainage is at
tempted for an orchard, or tor other pur-
poses. it should be thorough and sys-
tematic. No fruit grower should be
content with surface drainage. Under
dra ming is expensive, and much mora
so than it ought to be, but as we hasJ
said so many times. it will pay to I'M
derdrain. On our level prair es we can
hope for success in apple culture only
by thoroughly draining, in many por-
tons of the West, as we well know. the
soil is often too wet to grow anything.
Millions of dollars are lost every year
because drainage has not vet been as
extensively adopted as its merits would
warrant
Having sele ted the site with 4 view
to dryness, put the soil in good condi-
ton, remembering thaf when the soil
is not too thin, it may be plowed
deep with good results. The orchard
should never be set on uncultiv ated
land: and that so many orchards have
done reasonably well by setting the
TIRE es in a space dug in pasture, is no
argument that this is the way to set
trees. Thoroughly cultivate the soil,
and when it can be done just as wei as
not, cultivate it deeply. as we said be-
fore, although we do not attach so much
importance to trench blowing or sub
soiling as some do. The roots will PEN
citrate anyhow, and will at least in 3
measure prepare the soil for the use of
the tree. If there is in the ground in
available shape what the tree wants,
the roots will find it.
Whether or not to apply manures Will
depend upon the condition OF the soil.
and no rule can be laid down that
would answer for the vast territory over
which the Rural circulates. 1t mus: be
remembered that trees are great feed
ers. If the soil is worn out. lime with
clover as green manure, will prove
very valuable II on such soils from
twenty-five to fifty bushels of Stacked
lime are applied to the clover, it viii
both improve the clover, and act
directly upon the soil Itself No one
thing will do as much to prepare 4 field
of comparatively poor land for an
orchard as clover. Its roots penetrate
deep into the earth, and disintegrate'
the soil besides drawing up a vast
amount of hidden treasure. Wood
a>neS Will DC IOuuu NdIudUlc cltncI
when the soil is being prepared or
afterward. Besides these, composts and
stable manures are valuable at leas: in
bringing up soils that are comparati' ely
poor. If there is n necessity for plant
ing such soil Immediately, thoroughly
decomposed compost, mlxed with the
soil, should be applied about the trees,
Tut the entire surface of the field will
also have to be MANFRED afterward sew
e. al times Fresh stable manure should
never be placed about the young tree.
Now we come to digging the holes for
the trees If the ground is well pre-
pared, as we have Indicated, the holes
need not be very large, either in width
or depth. Some Law great stress upon
wide and deep holes. but such holes are
a matter of greater expense, and when
they are not needed the expense should
not be incur ell. If the field is in grass
the holes should be wide, about as wide
as the field, we think. And where a
few trees are to be SIT in grass, why. OF
of course, make the holes large. The
holes prepared, take the tree and care
July examine the roots; cutting away
mats of tibers and any roots that are
bruised or ragged. Now set them out,
spreading out the roots carefully and
packing the soil about them firmly
Then cultivate for several years :
Western Rural.