Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-18
Renewing Orchards.

Onc OF llt HnoAt ltTpltAluE QucS-
ti0ns to many of the farmers of our
state is how to renew the orchard, to
keep up the supply Of fruit needed for
family use. So many Of the old
orchards are being thinned by disease;
trees weakened by overbearing fall an
easy pray to hard winters, drouth and
windstorms, that the original hun
bred is now reduced TO less than half
that number, This is so largely the
case in tire older settled portions of
our state that the supply OF home
grown fruit is less even than few
years since, and prices rule higher
than then, wltk "A large increased
consumption. Ia renewing the
orchards, questions arise: FIRST,
whether 60 hll up the old, or TO plant
on new grounds, and second. what to
plant.
Ia answer to the first, our advice is
to do both; plant new, and ell up the
old. There is great pleasure in grow
/ ing a new orchard ON new ground,
where the trees come into bearing
about the same time, and can have the
same special treatment and all have
a fair trial on an even basis. But 1t
may be and often is best 60 lill up the
old orchard by planting in the vacant
spaces. Such paintings should be Of
varieties of great native vigor that
will quickly become independent and
fruitful For TINS purpose we would
plant only the vigorous Slberiaus and
Russians, or our strong growing
natives that will give desirable fruit
PREPARATIONS OF THE SOIL.
If in spaces where old bearing trees
have died out, the soil for several feet
wide and a foot deep should be re-
moved, and its place hlled with fresh
soil from adjacent spaces that has had
the benefit of culture and manure,
and better if only surface mold be SO
used THIS will give the young tree
a vigorous start among the old set.
tiers.
II may be necessary to further en-
courage the young tree by the addi-
ton Of ashes or compost, well mixed
in The soil where the tree is to be plant.
ed. This favor shown the. Dung tree
planted in the old orchard is not only
necessary but will pay ten fold IN
good effect.
CULTURE
= We have advised and tried the no
culture system for very rich soils, as
necessity or our cold climate, and
we still think it the best way for such
locations as are not well adapted Ia
fruit once growing. But for our
purpose, we will have such varieties
as will stand good soil and good cul-
ture, both in all future paintings.
OUR ORCHARD
was planted manly in 1859, and at
the same time was planted to Black
cap Raspberres, which gave US ten
good crops of fruit before we took
them out. The next five years it was
cow pasture--to its great injury.
We now bave il thoroughly plowed
and pulverized, mellow, blowing ii
two ways. after taking out all slckly
trees We will apply a wagon load OF
ashes TO the acre, as top dressing,
and plant to raspberrIes, IN rows eight
feet apart one way and two feet the
, other. Thus we expect a renewed
NlROF anu iiultl uluto9 W Jul vi Nt'e''" '
and can successfully FIJI the gaps as
before stated If we could spare the
land for the purpose, we would SOW
buck wheat in it for a few years,
allowing pigs and chickens to harvest
the crop.
Good sized, fair fruit can be grown
only upon vigorous trees, which must
, have exclusive use of the soil during
the dry, hot summer season. The tree
that bears a heavy crop of fruit and
makes no new wood is prematurely
old and is a promising candidate fol
the wood pile or brush heap. Hero
Uorieties and good culture our motto