Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-03-14
FARM, FIELD AND GARDEN.
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF
PROGRESSIVE CULTlvATORS.
Condensed Rules Which, IL Followed, Will
Lead to Success in the Orchard-Selec-s..
ton OF Ground, Choice of Trees,
Direstions in Grating.

For successful orcharding Country
Gentleman recommends attention to the
following rules, which arc conveniently
classified under different heads. First
comes:
Selection of ground-Select a good
soil, such as will raise good farm crops.
Make it mellow at once or with previous
melowing crops. Hill sides or rocky
places are admissible only in case plenty
of barn manure can be had for annual
top dressing. See that the land has good
natural or artificial drainage.
Choice of trees-Choose young and
vigorous trees. not over two years old
from the graft. See that ample roots are
secured in digging-enough to stitien the
tree without stalking, and give ready
growth. Avoid large, overgrown or
stunted trees which have short roots
mutilated by digging. Remember that a
good supply of roots is more important
than straight stems or handsome heads.
Procure well proved standard varieties,
and not new lauded sorts.
Setting out the trees-If trees from Il
distance are partly dry when received,
bury them for a week, top and all, in
finely pulverized moist soil, to restore
them. Before setting out, dig holes
broad enough to receive all the roots
without bending. Use no manure, cX-
cept on the surface after setting or in the
remote parts of large holes. In setting
out, spread the roots out equally on all
sides, at their full length, and fill in com
4
shorten back the long shoots and thin
ont where too thick, giving a neat, even,
moderate head. Always shorten back
before the buds swell. and never when
partly or wholly in leaf. Keep the
ground for several feet around the newly
set trees clean and mellow all summer
After care of the trces-keep the
ground cultivated over the whole sur
face for six or eight years: after which
allow grass to grow only in case
good annual or biennial top dressing of
manure may be given. As the roots of
growing trees are as long as their height.
avoid the mistake of spading or manur-
ing narrow circles around the foot Of
the stem. but cultivate the whole sur
face, promptly removing all suckers.
Clover and sowed grain should never be
allowed in young orchards; grass, if
kept short, and annually top dressed
with manure, is admissible; hoed crops.
as corn and potatoes, do well; and clear
culture is the best.
Pruning and grafting-Much pruning
is unnecessary, and when performed do
but little in any one year; thin the out
side of the head and not the center, and
paint all wounds. Undesirable fruits or
those proved untitled to the climate may
be changed to good ones by grating;
several gratis spread over the heads
will soon form bearing trees. For large
trees, divide the grating through two or
three seasons.
Selection Of varieties-For home use.
set out good varieties enough to keep up
q constant secession from the midsum-
mer kinds through autumn and winter,
and of long keepers to last through
spring. For market, choose such as bear
heavy crops of salable apples, and plant
orchards only in such places as they sue.
coed well in and find a ready sale at the
most profitable times of year,