Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-08-08
mANURIN. FRUIT TREES.

a FAllacy Concerning Their Proper Treat
mont Tbat 10 discbiesous,
From the London Garden.
It is singular how long some fal'acies
retain their hold, even after they have
been disproved by facts, and Of these, one
of the most mischievous is the belief that
fruit trees and bushes are liable to injury
rather than benefit from the application Of
manure. All sorts of diseases, such as
oanker and other ailments to which fruit
trees ale liable, are set down as the result
of applying manure to the roots whereas,
in nine cases out of ten, 1t arises from
poverty of the soil, causing the roots TO
run down into the bad subsoil. | am
continually hearing complaints from
owners OF fruit trees as to their unsatis-
factory condition, and on examination
have invariably found scarcely any surface
roots or fibres of any kind, nothing but
large, thong like roots, that run right
down into the subsoil. On inquiry l have
usually found that manuring or top dress
ing had not been practiced for many years,
their owners having come to the couclu
sion that such practices wero dangerous
l do not say that manure will prove to be
n cure for fruit tree ailments Of all kinds,
but will briefly detail few facts that
have come under my observation at
the roots is far more prolific source
of injury than abundant feeding Of the
surface roots, both with solid and liquor
manures, aud growers must form their
own conclusions as TO the best course To
pursue. The fruitful or unfruitful state
of orchard trees in nine cases out of ten is
entirely DEPENDENT on the attention which
they receive as regard TO manuriug. lu
the fruit growing parts OF Kent, where
large orchards of standard trees planted
on grass land is the rule, it is a well .
established fact that If the grass is cut for
hay and carried away, the trees soon
become untruitful aud die out while, on
the contrary, il the grass is fed off, so that
the nutriment is returned to the roots in
the shape of manure, the trees keep fruit
full and healthy. have seen some of the
most moss grown, miserable specimens oI
starved orchard trees restored to fruitful
condi ion by making the ground beneath
them the winter quarters of sheep and
pigs, feeding them the same time as il they
were in the farmyard with roots aud corn.
The finest old specimens of apple and
pear trees are generally those in au orchard
next to tho homestead that is used
as run for calves, sheep, pigs aud
poultry the whole year round. In fe5t
orchards the turf is short, and, being
full of nutriment, the trees keep healthy
and prolific for an indefinite period. Ashes,
garden refuse, or any kind of road scrap
ings, or even scayengeIs' rubbish
may be utilized for increasing our supply
of orchard fruits. They should DO spread
roughly on the surface in winter, aud in
spring narrowed and rolled down firmly.
The result will soon be marked improve
ment in the size and quality Of the crop.
Difference of opinion prevails as to pruning
or non pruning trees, some adopting one
system and some another but, be that as
it may. never knew fruit trees continue
to yield good crops for any length of time
unless the roots were supplied with manure
in some form or other.