The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-04-04
EVERY FARMER HIS OWN
POMOLOGIST.
No. 2.
BY Thomas l.. Brunk, Horticulturist Mary
land Agricultural College and Ex-
pertinent Station.

BY Thomas L. Brunk, Horticulturist Mary
land Agricultural College and Ex-
pertinent Station.
At the end of the first part of this
paper published in the CECIL WING,
was considering the matter of how tt
prune young tree just ready to set out
and how to set out orchard trees. The
next very important step is to cultivate
thoroughly. don't mean to pillow once
or twice or even four times, but seven OF
eight times at least during the time from
April 10 to August 18th. After that time
cultivating should cease and grass bt
allowed to grow. This will make gooc
Winter mulch and keep back late Fal
growth and cause wood to ripen early
The following Winter the trees set the
previous Spring should be pruned will
reference to forming future base for the
tree. Each limb therefore should be cut
back to within about one foot of the
trunk this will cause two side buds tC
grow forming on each limb of last year
two new limbs, no limb should be allowed
to outgrow any of it's neighbors. Simply
pinch off the end of the growing branch
in the Summer and it will stop its enc
growth and that will give the rest q
chance to catch up. Keep up good cul
ture in your apple orchards till the trees
are at least ten years old. Then the
orchard may be seeded to grass for veal
or two but should then be brought under
the cultivator again. Thus alternating
culture with grass. The third and fourth
year prunings are about the same as the
first. Shorten in limbs so as to make
the future large base limbs, short anG
stocky. When the time comes to beal
when they are four or five years old anc
they have not formed any short spur like
branches they can be made to do 81
(apple and pear trees) by fracturing OF
swapping the last seasons growth instead
of cutting them off with shears or knife
1t is easily done with one hand. Let the
fractured part stay on The tree, it will
check it's growth and make the tree sci
fruit spurs. If this treatment is no
severe enough to do the work, the mali
branches can be tied down SO as to be II
horizontal position or even pendant
This will cause fruit, buds and spurs tC
set. Do this in March before growth be
gins. Do not think that the cultivation
or good food for the trees should be
stopped. Fertilizing should be lessened
but trees must be fed well. If they dom,
fruit the grower must apply his skill in
making them fruit. Tight bands placed
about the main limbs. and pruning late
in Spring after the leaves have come out
some will cause a tree to come into the
bearing stage. If an old apple or peal
tree has too many spurs on its limbs they
should be very carefully thinned out this
etim of year. They often get so many
that they overbear and produce very
small inslpid fruit. This is the best
method also for the fruit. Thin with the
pruning shears. For old trees that have
beeu neglected scrape off the old rough
bark, cut off dead limbs close up to theil
collars, do not leave stumps of the base
ends of limbs to become old sores, cut
off close. cut back the ends of small
outer limbs. Rarely take out large limbs
as it throws a tree into bearing wooG
only. Thin out small limbs or twigs
especially on top and you will not throw
a tree out of its fruiting condition. L
too much wood is removed the tree will
not bear but will use its energies t.
make wood for a couple of summers. Il
is nice thing to be able to treat a tree
with such we'll directed methods> :,
keep it well balanced, heal,ESv frpitfu
ana oeautiful ID rofm. 1t should bt
STUDIED carrerully by every lover of a tree
-As<~Splendid fertilizer for orchards a
recommended by Prof. James of Ontario
and which quite agrees with my practice
is as follows: Twenty bushels WOOD
Ashes, 100 lbs, Bone Meal, 100 lbs.
Nitrate Soda, for one acre of ground
The quantity OF ashes could be increased
with advantage. Scatter fertilizers broad
cast and cultivate in well.
There is no good orchardist of the
N r.,
ing crops of the finest fruit without using
the sprayer to kill insects and destroy
fungus diseases.
The apple crop of Western New York
was almost totally destroyed last season
by the leaf blieh and scab that came
early in the season. The codlipg mofE
lays its eggs in the blossom of apples
and pears and the worm eats into the
fruit as soon as the blossoms fall anG
until the frnit is One-thlrd or one hal
grown. This insect is one of the worst
pests the grower has to cope with. This
insect with the bud worm, tent caterpil
lar, canker worm, leaf folders and apple
curculio can all be destroyed by a proper
application of Paris green, one pound to
ECO gallons of water for apple and pear
trees. This mixture is put into barrel
and kept constantly stirred or agitated
to keep the poison from settling to the
bottom. A good spraying pump is made
by the Field Force Pump Co., of Lock,
port, New York for $14 90 with brass
cylinder and piston. 1t is called the
Perfection. Another is made by the
Nixon Nozzle Machine Co., of Dayton
Ohio, Improved No. 3. Climax" and
either single or double spray. at $50. co.
Both of these machines do first class
work. One of these machines will SPRAY
fifty acres of orchards every ten days
Therefore ten growers having five acres
each of orchard could own one machine
in common and it would do the work OF
all easily. Orchards should be sprayed
also for fungi which often destroy crops
far more than insects. The apple bite,
rot, apple and pear scab, apple leaf rust,
and pear leaf blight are all dangerous
enemies to the orchard and are often the
cause of loosing crops that have been
attributed to insects or climatic causes
These diseases are very insidious and
subtle. They do their worst when but
few know they are at hand. All these
can be controlled, thanks be to science,
will give here plan by which all these
fungus diseases and the insects above
named may be held in check and good
perfect crop insured.
Go to any drug store and buy three
avolrdupois ounces of carbonate of copper
and two quarts of ammonia or hartshorn.