St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-05
Failure of old Orchards.

One reason, and the principal one, of the
failure of old orchards to bear good fruit is
the want of proper food for the develop
ment of fruit. The apple tree. standing as
it does in one spot for fifty or sixty years,
throwing out its roots in every direction and
deep down in the earth, naturally eXhausts
the soil of its elements of growth. 1t cries
out for food by its failure to hold fruit; it
makes its wants known by its dying limbs,
and it's cry is UNDECIDED. The owner pays
no attention to its calls of distress, but al
lows them to die, when little assist
ance would give the old trees re-
newal of life, and it would show its graft
tllde by bearing in its arms great heaps of
luscious fruit. He thinks it has done it's
work, and so lets them die out and sets
new trees. when, by proper care, they
would continue to bear without the loss of
time consequent upon growing new Or
chard. AS an evidence of the truth of this
statement. set out new trees in the
old places, and no good will be the newt
able result.
All this can be remedied by properly ma
nuring around the old trees. The ground
is allowed to grow up with grass and weeds,
and this drinks up all the moisture falling
on them, so the tree is deprived of its ne
cessary drink In the first place, spread
heavily manures from the barnyard and
stable. Get all the leached ashes from the
hOuseyard and from the aSh-hOpper. Put
all around the trees, and then turn it under
as deep as large plOw will turn it. Con-
tinue to do this every spring and the trees
will never cease to bear full of fruit, nor
will they lose limbs or be numbered with
moss. The crops raised under them will
repay all the labor richly, such as peas,
potatoes and roots of any kind.
stables Should Be lined.
How many stables have anything more
than the thickness of board between their
incosed spaces and the outer air? Those
who have bank barns or basement stables
have thick stone walls that afford ample
protection against cold, but in level coun-
try like Minnesota and Dakota those stables
are few and far between. Take the coun-
try through and seven-tenths of our sta
bleS are incloSed with a single thickness
of boards battened at the joints Well
finished up and painted, these structures
look very tasty and comfortable from the
outside, when in reality they are very cold
affairs. They do excellently well for stor-
ing barns, but for stables something more is
needed The common plan on farm of
ordinary size is to have barn and stable
all in one. In one end of the barn is the
stable. in the other the large bay, with the
open barn floor running between the two.
This is q very good arrangement so far as it
goes.
What the stable wants now is a lining
and filling that will make it almost frost
proof when filled as it usually IS with
warm animal bodies that throw off heat
enough to keep an ordinary close room at
a sufficiently high temperature. A room
that is made close and tight to start with
NAV then be ventilated at pleasure, Which
is much better than such hap-hazard ven
tilatiOn as too many stables get through
the chinks and crevices OF the walls. Ii
the building has frame of timber bents,
extra studs or posts may be put up between
the heavy posts that are too far apart, and
sheeting of common lumber nailed to them.
AS fast as the sheeting is put on. commenc-
ing at the bottom, of course, the space be-
tween the two walls should be filed with
straw well punched down. This makes
warm dry filling, and is something
which is at the command of every
farmer. Such stable lining
will save many times its cost in one winter
in the feed consumed, to say nothing of the
increased thrift and comfort of the animals
confined. Hen houses, pig pens and everv
building. about the place that shelters stock
should be treated in some such manner. If
YOU wart eggs, milk and thrifty animals,
this is the way to get them.
Fall Tree Planting and Pruning.
Tree planting is usually done in the
spring. but much that pertains to the per-
manent adornment of our homes grounds
and streets might be done at this compare
lively unoccuped season of the year. Large
trees may be safely removed by digging
around them and under them to a
,s.s5o5 depth. Then ball c. dirt
will adhere to the roots when frozen.
If trees are to be thus transplanted, they
NAV be moved on cart wheels having long
tongue. which should be raised in the air in
such manner as to lift the roots when the
tongue is lowered. The tree must, of
course. be protected with mating or straw
so that the bark may not be CALLED.
Holes should either be made be-
fore freezing, OF else a thick mulch
should be applied as preventive
of freezing so that the hole can be prepared
after freezing weather arrives. November
g n rood ,,on+b m trim largo trees As 2