, 1885-03-14
FARM GARDEN


The melancholv report comes from various
parts Of the country. particularly from the
magnificent ~fruit-bearing lake region, that
the apples and peaches are all killed by freez-
ing. They are dead and done for, 1t is said
Instead Of apples rotting upon the ground,
being fed to hogs, OF bong made into cider,
which hardens and makes temperance farm
ers drunk, there win, alasl be not apples
enough to go round next season Nothing is
ever Just right II Is either too much or too
little.
But there are always consultations. In the
first place it is probably not 50 bad with the
fruit as rumor makes il. We farmers like 70
croak. One OF our rural acquaintance pre-
diets every year regularly that there won't
be any fruit at all next season, and Mt least
half the time he is wrong. While fruit may
DO scarce in some sections there will un-
doubtedly be enough in others 10 even 1t up
moderately at any rate. This Is a big coun-
Try.
A western paper finds consolation for the
wiuterklled apples and peaches In the
thought that now for once, at any rate, or
ohards will get a good trimming and pruning.
Farmers are 50 afraid Of hurting the fruit
buds, 1t Is said, that they will not apply the
knife or the Ak as much as needed, in ordin-
nry years This year, however, there will be
no fear OF that, so TINT the orchardist may
slash about at wm The mar who offers n
this consolation Is a genuine Mark Tapley,
who would be jolly under all circumstances
But there Is one respect In which the croak-
ers are right. 1t Is truly becoming more and
more difficult and uncertain, year by year,
To uroduce large and reliable fruit returns.
IN the west, II there are moderate crops
three years out OF five, the agricuiturist
thinks he has no right to complain Tint,
too. ut the very time when apples In par
ticular are demanded in larger and larger
quantities every year. The American apple
is shipped TO Europe In vast and Increasing
amount Over there among the old mon
arches they are just beginning 10 find out
how good 1t is. Dur apples are following in
the track OF our beef and mutton. 1.-THE Ameri-
can farmer pays attention to the growth OF
apples. selecting the best varieties, giving
them the best methods OF culture, then learn
ing how 70 pack them, so that a prime article
on this side Of the water Will be in prime con
dition when 1t reaches the other, our orchards
will in time become a mine OF wealth. Moth
ing Is more certain than that.
Again, the free use Of fruit as an article OF
diet is beginning to be appreciated as invslu-
able in n hygienic point Of view. Plenty Of
apples Of the best quality save disease and
doctors bills. But at this very time orchards
must begin to fail ON our hands. New insects
come down upon the fruit like a wolf ON the
fold. The country Is cleared up Of forests,
and there Is nothing In the woods for them
10 live on. So they attack our orchards.
One Of the latest OF these Is a filthy little
wretch called the apple maggot. 1t tunnels
nm apple through and through a dozen times,
leaving behind it a track Of vile, dark ex-
cretn. The fly Of this creature comes in
July, and lays several eggs in the infant ap-
pie. In August and September the worm be
gin to bore, and ruins the fruit. This worm
Is a footless maggot, with a pointed black
head. It threatens to deyastate whole sec
tlons Of country.
The best preventive Of this and other in
sect nests Is TO turn hogs into the orchard
and let them root at will and eat apples.
maggots and coddling moth worms. The swine
should be turned In as soon as the apples
begin TO fall, and allowed to run all through
the time Of windfall. Two or three years OF
this will cure almost a desperate case OF
wormy orchard. It Is around the stem of the
tree that tho pests Turk most in tho hidden
form. Manure, dead leaves, etc, should be
raked away from Immediately around the
trunk and the base left bare, so our friends
the pigs will have free access
Again, another cnuse OF falling orchards Is
that the soil is exhausted. II Is an admirable
wnv 10 sow old orchards In red clover, and
let the hogs pasture that. IL viii bring up
the fruit-bearing qualities rapidly. Too free
use Of barn-yard manure richens the wood
and leaves at the expense Of the fruit Bone
dust is recommended TO mix with the manure,
but lime and wood nshes are excellent and do
not cost much. The only old orchards that
yield fair returns are those that are cultivated
and fortified. In blowing be careful not to
strike deep enough to injure the roots. 1t is
a mistake to put the fertilizer close % the
trunk. It should be scattered around a few
feet away, so that the rootlets may imbibe 1t.
The best time to pillow is in the fall. We
know of an old orchard that seemed almost
worthless. Its owner plowed IL and manured
and cultivated the and thoroughly for two
years, and pruned 1t well. and the result was
the third year q heavy crop of apples
We shah have something more to say about
p~lantinn and pruning.