The record-union., 1893-11-17
FRUIT GROWING.
How Can the Value Of Orchards be
Increased 2
n Sacramento Nurseryman Airs His
Views on the subject-Horti-
culture In Its Infancy.
20 herman Schuartz. ]

TBy Herman Schwartz.
The low prices fruitmen have realized
this year have set many one of them seri-
ously to thinking how they can increase
the value and productiveness of their
orchards.
We see every year palmer that only the
best quality of fruit will find ready
market and bring the largest returns.
Careful and intelligent cultivation only
can produce such results.
Before l came to California [ was ad-
vised by friend that fruit-growing out
here was only in its infancy. After [
came here and saw the vast areas covered
with trees and vines. and learned how
many carloads of fruit were shipped East
annually, 1 wondered how it would be
when fruit-growing would be developed.
But after 1 had been out here little
while, and studied the methods of culti-
vation employed, found it to be true
fruit-growing is only in its infancy.
By wandering through the orchards
and from conversation with their owners
or managers, / learned that by far the
most OF them are without practical or
theoretical training, particularly in re-
gard to pruning and general care taking.
Most OF them have followed another Oc-
eupation previous to ruit-growing. In
starting their orchards, they had TO rely
for information partly on their neighbors,
who also were young in the business,
partly on literature, of which there is a
confusive large amount, and also on such
employees, who pretended to be expert
enced in the business, by virtue OF having
worked in an orchard before. but chiefly
tn n "a NiFGnFTtnQra N n
tree agents are often regarded authorities
on fruit-growing, but good many Of
them turned 10 tree-growing because
they found it profitable, and rs ii is an
easy matter to grow good tree in COM
parison to growing fruit, they succeeded
better. These men will advise their Gus
toners in the interest Of their business,
whether they are capable of doing so or
not. | will cite here one instance for
illustration:
l was visiting an orchardist last spring,
who owns besides others young prune
orchard, four or five years old. AS the
trees were beginning to bud, and had
not been pruned yet, inquired as to his
intentions Of pruning The gentleman
told me that leading nurseryman of
this section had advised him not 10 prune
his trees in order TO make them bear.
OF course we all know that little or no
pruning will cause a tree to bear sooner,
but what is to become of these trees?
They were cut back very short in previ-
GUS years, and growing in very rich soil,
they had produced each during the last
season six to ten heavy linn bless shoots,
eight TO ten feet tall. Now as these shoots
were not set back, they will, according to
law of nature. form head on the top of
each shoot, as the upper six TO eight buds
will start out while the others remain
dormant. The consequence will be that
-. l. 1
over, and are liable to be badly sun
burned, but what is still worse, the trees
will be thrown out OF shape and har-
mony, and the grower loses control over
them. In order to restore such trees to
their normal state the loss of one years
crop is unavoidable.
Cur climate is fortunately so very
mucn adapted to fruit growing that a
tree will yield an average crop under the
most ordinary treatment. But times are
fast approaching when only the best
quality OF fruit, produced in full crops
regularly every year, will make fruit
growing profitable. This will in time
cause demand for men who have re-
ceIred a systematic training.
The main object OF writing this is to
call attention to the fact that there is no
institution in this State where young
man of little means can obtain such a
training.
The German Government has provided
several pomological institutions to pro-
mote fruit growing. All the employees of
the Government in charge of the fruit
trees planted alongside the highways and
others are required to be gr tduates of
such institutions. Physiology OF the
plant. etnology, fertilization, etc., are
taught particularly. Large orchards af-
ford ample material for practical demon
stration. The most important OF them
are the fruit trees grown IN pots and such
trained on espalierS and various other
forms. The culturist keeps his trees al
ways perfectly under his control, which
respond perfectly to his will. have seen
peaches produced on such trees, under
unlaVorabIe climatic conditions, which
would compare iavorably with the best
/ have seen in California. OF course these
trees were started under glass to advance
them, as otherwise the season is too short.
l hardly need to mention that such trees
are only used as material for instruction.
II the State Board of Horticulture
would take up the matter and cause such
institutions TO be created, and connect
them with the various experiment sta
tions, much good would be derived from
it.
In the following I will endeavor to give
a short illustration of how, III my esti-
nation, fruit should be grown in this
country, in order to produce the best
crops with the least expense.
PLANTING.
In planting trees il is most essential to
have them in the proper position, that is
the part which has been grown under
ground exactly there again, not higher,
nor lower. The trunk of the tree is built
different from the root, and when planted
too deep, so a part of it is covered with
soil, It Will absorb moisture from the soil
and interfere with the growth. 1t might
not show any disadvantage while the
tree is young. but when it becomes old it
viii grow weak and become Improbable
by many species. Peaches, prunes,
cherries, etc, are particularly sensitive
in regard TO planting. 1t has been shown
by scientists that gum and black nut are
the direct cause OF deep planting. / keep
the soil from several holes by itself, and
replace it when planting begins, in order
To find out how much the ground raises
then l set the trees that much higher
they will settle with the ground and be
right. In iillIng the holes top soil should
only be used and pressed firmly around
the roots, which must be placed IN proper
position.
a careful root-pruniug should precede
planting. Many people will select trees
with many nbre roots in the belief that
they take food directly from the soil, and
so are quicker III starting. We ali know
that roots only at their youngest part will
take UP food direct from the soil. After
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