The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-10
Mistakes in Fruit Growing.

I committed grievous blunders In many
ways in beginning fruit culture. IL Is q iili.s.
ter of regret that fruit growers do not more OF
ten mention their blunders as well as their
successes From the ordinary. tenor OF the
current literature of the day, the young lruit
grower may be led to suppose that fruit grow
erS generally have no revcrSes and make no
plumbers. / am satisfied that this is wrong.
and believe that my experience has been that
OF the majority. My first mistake was III
mixing small fruits Of all KINDS, ana pe;!ches
and dwarf pears between rows Of trees III an
apple orchard. We planted 300 Baldwin ap-
pie trees and among these planted raSpoer-
ries, black berries. Strawberries, dwilrl pears;
peaches and grapes: EveStndins WenI me %rt rcd
raspberries and blackberrieS forced their way
into the apple tree rows The apple orchaIu
could only be cultivated one way, thus along
the rows was q plot OF grass occupied by slras-
Cling raspberry bushes, in which the mice
made nesiS anu DESTROYED u number of va lua-
bic trees. We found that peach trees, plum
and dwarf pears require hlSher cai1uie rrtit tnut
rom the soil, and the peach trees eSpecalIy
absorbed the moisture ;oa rclnariahle extent,
so that plants growing III the Flclnlty were
prevented from producing tue best SraaG VI
fruit. There are numerous reasons when
nave not mentioned here that have taught
me that H. Is not best to thus minglc the plant.
in. Of small fruits and vines OF the dltlerent
kinds with large fruits IN one orchuru. ~ i -
far better to plant Il certain plot TO peaches en-
tirely, another to plunS, another to raSpper-
rieS, Strawberries. DIackberricS etc, all plots
being as neurly square us possible one real
son for this Is that plumS dO not require lhe
same soil l> peaches, and require more Oh ;ln
elevation than apples, and each species re-
ouirs particular treatment and culture that
cannot be so we'll given If all are growing to-
gpther.
Another mistake was in planting too close
ly together 1t is best to give ample space be-
tween the rows Of all kinds of fruit, both
large. and small. AT planting time it seems ~
great WASTE of ground to give much space, us
it is difficult to make allowance tor the luture
development OF trees and plants. AHOtiief
mistake was In plOwng too deep between the
rows of the small fruits. have since learned
something about root growth and that the
soil occupied by trees and plants Is almost
wholly m0nopoliZrd by such root growth, and
that there is serious loss in disturbing these
numerous tbrOuS roots, which one may de-
Struy without brirg aware of 1t. Another
mistake, which is made by beginners more Of
ten than any other. was in planting before
the ground was suhiued. Most farms are Oc-
cupied by weeds and grasses that need to be
thoroughly suppressed before planting. The
necessity for this Subduing seldom occurs
with force TO the novice. also made mis-
take in planting at Il time when the ground
was too wet, following the old teaching that
Immediately after q rain Is about the only
safe time tn transplant. In my enthusiasm
often planted during heavy rain, fully en-
posed. But such planting did not thrive to
my satisfaction. MS the earth was hardened by
trilmping upon it and pressing in the plants,
and did not rapidly recover from such treat
ment.