Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-04-09

City and other smaller towns.
II were to plant an orchard, the first
thing would look to would be the soil.
You cannot make trees grow in a wet,
cold soil. If water stands where your
trees are to be planted you will lose them.
In talking with farmer out west about
taking bill of trees, he said, Il cannot
make them grow here. No variety will
will do we'll on my place." I saw at once
the reason, the soil was wet and cold. He
could, however, have drained his soil and
succeeded.
On the other hand. the soil must not be
too dry. Let it be moderately moist.
Trees do we'll in clay subsoil, sufficiently
porous to carry off the surface water.
Trees are more frequently injured by
our rapid change from winter to spring
and spring to summer, than by any other
cause. Any one can satisfy himself of
this by examining his trees. He will find
that blight begins to appear on the south
west side of the tree, not always, but
generally. Two years ago I found tree
II years after planting, on my place, tit
was Duchess) with bark on southwest
side OF trunk. turned black. The blight
was extending into the branches. / took
strong suds made of soft soap, scrubbed
the tree, scrubbing off the bli ght as much
as possible !; cutting off small branches
and limbs that were beyond cure then
covered with wite-wash, parts lime, 1
part sulphur: Last year the whole top
was heavily loaded with large sized fruit.
1 may say here, that think blight is
contagious. A Transcendant near by
was badly injured; indeed, the top was
entirely destroyed by the disease. The
lNRhqcS Domino II,
the same way. observed last season the
top of Wealthy in nursery row in con-
tact with blighted crab. This top be-
gan to turn black. I may say that the
Transcendant, most of all, is inclined to
blight.
In selecting your location for an orchard
you want to fix upon aspot of land where
the trees will be least affected by blight:
Those who have had the longest expert
ence in this latitude in growing fruit re-
commend northeastern slope if posi-
bic. A northeastern is less exposed to hot
rays of sun in spring the sap does not
start as early, and the tree is less liable to
blight. Blight in spring is caused by ear
ly flow of sap, which is liable to freeze
when nights are cool.
K. T. Speer, Cedar Falls, Iowa, gives
the following, which I may use as an il
lustration:
About the 10th of April, 1880, he exam
ined his trees and found them all in a
healthy condition. Four days afterward,
the mercury was from IS to 80 in the
sun. In about week after this, he ex-
amined his trees again, AID found them
all more or less injured The injury was
on the inner bark of the south west side.
BY the middle of May the bark
was dead on the southwest side.
1t strikes me that if these trees had been
protected by tarred paper, or boards, or
laths around the stem, up to the limbs,
they mig ut have been saved. Iprune my
trees 50 that they shall have low tops, the
base about foot above the soil. Many
farmers may not have a north eastern
slope. l have none, have over 100 on q
slightly southern slope, have not the soil
that l would prefer. Yet any one who
has sandy soil can draw few loads of
clay and mix with his soil when plant
ing. A little clay will help retain mois-
ture and secure more firmly the roots of
the tree, so that there will be less injury
by winds.
The next question is, how to plant.
think more trees are lost in planting
than in any other way. Some few years
ago. lsold man Is Duchess. He was to
pay me if they lived. In due time he re-
ported not one alive. Yet last fall 1
counted 40 bearing trees, out of the same
lot, on my place. To my knowledge not
one planted on my grounds was lost.
An important requisite is, the roots of
a tree must have room to send cut little
rootlets. They will not penetrate hard
pan. You dig little bit of hole and
jam your roots in, and your tree will not
live, or if it docs live any length of time,
it Will be stunted. As to the space re-
quired for the roots every man must be
his own judge. If the soil is baked, or
has hard Jumps after blowing I would sink
the spade deeper. Let there be 4 to 6
inches extra space for the roots to make a
good beginning.
Eastern orchardists plant their trees 80
feet and more apart, each way. On our
bleak pralrles we must plant nearer in or
der that the trees may protect each other.
1 have planted Is feet apart. Some plant
some varieties 10 feet Of course your
location is on as high ground as you have
IN order to be as much as possible out of
the way of frosts.
You are now ready to plant. Don't let
the roots be exposed to the wind or sun,
even for moment: In some way protect
them, or you will be the loser. The hole
where you wish to place the tree is dug;
the bottoms and sides are loosened with
the spade. Now place your tree lust
where you want it. If the soil is porous
and light, an inch or two lower than it
was when found in the nursery. Now
take good soil-not mixed with manure
for the roots must not come in contact
with any manure, spread out the roots in
their natural shape, place with your
hands this soil in contact with ali the
roots. Let it be sifted in, so that there
shall be no vacant spaces. If your tree
stands erect press gently, at first with
both hands, firmly at the last filling.
Now draw on, let the surface be loose.
Place around your trees mulching of old,
damp straw, 3 or four inches deep. Your
trees are planted, but this IS not enough;
make their acquaintance, goaround among
them, attend to their wants. You do not
fasten your horse in the stable and leave
him to shift for himself. If he is in trou-
BILE you help him out of it. If his foot is
injured you look for q remedy. II
you don't know what he needs, you try to
get some body that does know. Now you
have been at the expense of planting trees
take care of them. All, but you say, II
don't know anything about trees" Then
find out. Read and study until you do
know. Take your wife and children out
to see your trees. Make them your pets
Iwould say further, the ground where
trees are planted should be cultivated.
have taken large crops of potatoes from
my orchard, have it now in raspberries
Though would not recommend cultiva-
ton late in the season; early in the season
run your plough too near, let your cult
walton be very shallow around the tree.