Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-05-01
Small Orchards.

II viii not rs a rule pay general
farmers to 20 into frtiit raising on =
large scale, or attempt 10 do 50 An
enterprise in this line OF any magnitude.
re fuircs more attention than the aTer-
age farmer can or viii devote 30 IL.
more than that Il needs skill and edu-
cation in horticultural craft. that Is only
obtained BY long years Of experience
and study. small orchards. Intended
mainly to furnish n generous suPsly of
wholesome fruit for the farmers fami-
Is. will be found much more satisac-
tory on the whole than larger under
takings. for they can be managed with
out interfering with other farm worl
20 any great extent. We are all apt "a
take a little more pains with that which
is intended for our own particular
u.e and we feel more interest in
the welfare of the few trees that
are t. furnish us with our yearly supply
of fruit than we would in raising for the
market; where il is only { question ol
dollars and cents. ranking the same
as a wheat field in our calculations ol
loss or gain
Certain il is. that. with perhaps few
exceptions. small orchards are more
thrifty and produce much more fruit in
proportion to the size than large ones.
II seems, however. TO be in the nature
Of the American farmer-and especially '
the Western farmer-tO enter largely
into ant ente prise that may look
prcmisingiy remHnerative. He never
hesitates in doubt as to his cap
ability to manage n particular
undertaking. but sails in with al
his available capital. and makes things
gee. This Is very commendable
quail ". and when applied to wheat
raising. or any other pro.ect that will
not require a v,ry extended knowledge
or experience. il usually insures sue
cess. Bu: when we ge. Gown into the
finer practices of agriculture. aud es-
pecially horticulture. il Is sometimes i
very dangerous element to success.
The farmer. who. with but slight pre-
vious experience, laws out SiOD or S.C0
in trees at one ''swoop" Is pretty apt 20
lose n good share of the purchase money
anil an immens; amount of labor along
with it. And this Is not all ihs-t ~
loses. he loses all liking for the br s.
ness, il indee he does not cOntrac-. a
hearty dislike. He faile I. probat ".
through pure ignorance as 10 the needs
of a Young orchard. In the natural or
der Of things t:le failure. we will say. is
only partial one SOme Of his trees
were set on wet. undra ned land. some
were set too deep. and were not properly
trimmed. Fresl manure n. the roots,
no mnlching. or n dozen other causes
might be given which he had never
before thought Of Now from this state
of partial failure quite n share of the
orchard might be rescued BY prudent
and persevering care. Blu. he Is dis
crlsted with the bus ness by this time
aud thinks il will not pay to fool away
snv more time Oh il; so the few remain
ing trees came mp rs best they can in
their ragged. scattered condition
His less venturesOrae ncighbor com
meaces early in buying a few common
kidds. and setting them near the hOase
where he can frequently spend few
minutes At work among them As he
aas but few. he can give them better
care from the first than he would b.
able to give if there were hundreds in
stead of dozens. These few trees thrive.
anu nc lctlo cuCOllG-t0 ~ hiu lAllAe
more His experience and study keep
pace with the increase of his trees. and
by the time he has 4 fair-sized little
orchard he kncws Just how to take care
of il, and make the most from IL He
knows what kinds do best in his pa-tic.
ular locality. and what the most favor
able conditions for each variety He
kzows how TO huv his trees economical
". and how to start them advanta-
geousiy.
An orchard can not be built up in a
month or year. Like 4 library, il
must serve to build itself up The first
acquisitions must furnish the kuowl-
edge for gathering others about them
Capital will hurry things up a bit. but
il takes time and experience to do the
work perfectly.
Don't put OF starting an orchard until
another year. Spasmodic horticulture
can not be 4 success. 50 20 ste1dy. but
sarely.-W u. BoyHtoH, ia Pral-.t
{ar.;ssr.