Weekly Phoenix herald., 1884-01-24
Tree Culture.
(Communicatcd)
PHGXIx. Jan. IS. 1881

PHGNIx, Jan. IS, 1881. EDITOR HERALD: Dedr SSr.-l
 have been here but a short time
 and my opportunities Tor abserva'
 tion have been necessarily limited but from what I have seen and
 heard there seems to be room fo1
 improvement in the matter of. fruit
 culture. l may be mistaken, but ii 50 I have the consolation of being
 conscientious and do not write for
 the sake of notoriety or argument, but to advance the interests Of the
 country generally. Although I have
 been in the business of handling trees for about fifteen years do not profess to know it al, but have reached point where I can see I am just beginning to l, arn, so will
 Lot pretend to lay down a law, but to suggest methods which eAperi- ence recommends as an improve ment on the present treatment given trees iL this country. 1 have seen 10 country with equal natural ads vantages, nor any so thoroughly un> developed, and since the success of all enterprises depends upon sys> tematic and determined effort it be- comes the interests of the people of this country to post themselves in the methods that fruit producing countries have found necessary to success. and adopt euch as are found adapted to this soil and climate and never hesitate to make an experi- ment that gives reasonable promise of improvement
 am told the rule here IS to cut the tap root short. 1 ask why so, and am told it is unnec- ssary to have them longer as the sub>ssi is dry and will not suppor. tnem and the tree must depend upon surface roots which cap oe fed by irrigation. Now if tbs cannot be overcome and the ground moisiened to 2 depth O. at last six to ten feet, fruit culture mast result sooner or later in failure, since ihe evaporation is so rapid near the surface it becomes necess- ary to keep the roots almost constant ly in water from freqrent or prolong ed irrigation with these almost fatal disadvantage that the surface of the soil soon becomes packed excluding the circulation of air and the roots as It were, are smoihered 10 dan gerous extent with the excessive heat and are fed with water nol adapted to their needs in that it reaches them and evaporates or | passes by sc rapidly that it is rot i for their use not having l had time to collect the chemicals from tke soil which may be cOnsid> cred the bread and meat oi the tree even If these have not already been centralized or carr jed away by pass ing water the result being thatthe tree starves while being f,d and ihe roots become paralyzed and dis and refuse to venture out n search of nourlshment as they would if not over fed with food that while it fills, starves them while he top having more natural condi- ions outgrows and makes an over draft upon the roots which they are lnable to pay; the result may not be Ie immediate death, but will appear lrst in inferior fruit, then dead branches and in time premature Ieath What would I do? Bring ultivation to the rescue. 1 nave seen t fairly and often demonstrated that II classes of fruit trees are healthier onger lived and yield superior uality of frmt when treated rith more cultivation and less rrlgation qualified by reason- ble limits especially in heavy oils; and only cultivation makes it possible for the soil to collect from he air and absorb the chemical ele> nents necessary to the health Of the rec and ihe life of the soil and de- 'oys the eggs of the enemies of the richards. I firmly believe that ultivation may be successfully sub- iitu;ed for irig ation h a er, at pro- oftion of he sal River val ey ssil, nce it is but firm SIX 10 sixteen set to the unl.erfnw and a loose fine ell cultivated surface creates the ecessary conditions for capillary at action, il is not too much to hope $ lat if the conditions are complied , ith the union of moisture can be ;tablished Tn winter ii not already , , and be maintained throughout le summer especially with the ass F stance ot limited irrigation and re- lit Tn an increase of yield, a better uality of fruit and an insurance of edith and long life to tue tree, as ith deep moisture the tap root will ek its natural sphere it not forced ! drink too much pure water and I'll stand brRvely at it's post n time storms holding the tree in p9si> 0n while passing up nourishment ltheIed from many fe t of soil, T time it will go 10 the water, even distance of fifteen or twenty feet. hen who will say there is no more punishment h twenty feet of soil an there is in two feet or il will fer as soon from drought. The me remarks will apply to oranges so, and there can be no doubt that e experience of Los Angeles will A repeated here i'll time. Time was
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