The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-09-22


The Society, in its wisdom Tor other
wisel has deemed it expedient to Sc
lect myself to speak on this subject
and has given me rope enough to
hang myself. So broad is the scope,
so inexhaustible is the subject that L
shall confine my short talk mainly to
the small experience L have had in
garden trees. The subject of propaga-
ton will leave to experienced nurs'
cry men, and begin with the planting.
The trite saying thai. he who makes
two blades of grass to grow where one
grew before is public benefactor, is
certainly as applicable to him who
plants tree, yet our whole duty is
but just begun in the planting, and
the future care and culture that we
exercise indicates the success orfailure
of the undertaking. y few years ago
the students of large eastern agri-
cultural college were expected to
plant trees upon Arbor day. Two
years later the same professor of the
school reported that no tree then set
out had made satisfactory growth,
and but one of them all had been Gull
tivated.
1t is TO be feared that this is typical
of far too much of the work of grOUing
trees. 1t is supposed that growing
trees is done with the intention OF
making fine trees, whether for pleas
ure or for profit. Let us take the apple
tree. We cannot afford TO set our
trees but 16 or 20 feet apart to econo-
miZe ground. Neither can we afford
to crop the ground TO death and with
hold fertilizer for the trees. Our OBJ
ject should he apples, and ali other
crops should be subservient to that
one. G.. G. Grem, publisher OF the
Fruit Grower of Rochester \. V,
says that three crops of rye will conf
pletely ruin any orchard, yet we
know by experience that there are
crops that are not detrimental to the
trees, especially iffertilizer be applied
Root crops of all kinds, corn and even
hay in rotation. These are all benefi'
cial under a judicious system and
proper care. Many horticulturists
advise the leaning of trees little t
the afternoon or , O'Clock sun, in order
to protect the stem by the shade o
the branches. which in my experience
is mistake. The natural tendency
of the tree to grow upright, as well a:
to the effect of the south winds dur
ing the growing season, tend greatly
to produce a crooked tree, the conve,
side of which is exposed to the SUI
more than a tree that is set upright
This is very susceptible of proof, fol
lust across the ravine west of us no
more than thirty rods from here is ;
young orchard of 100 trees set three
years ago, and invite all who are i'll
terested in though not convinced 10y
the argument to visit the orchard anc
see for themselves.
| was induced by tree agents
neighbors, and others in the setting o
my first orchard to head the tree:
low: the result has been that twice
since Isl, l have been compelled t.
cut off the lower limbs of my trees il
order to get them off the ground ant
this year my Missouri pippins anC
Smiths cider are so close to the
ground that the lower limbs have
been stripped of fruit by pigs ant
chickens. Don't head too low, here i:
danger of loss of fruit. The air an6
sunlight has not access to make the
fruit more peri feet, and altogether the
results will not be satisfactory.
Now, every one should set out al
abundance of fruit trees. There are
those who think that fruit growing
will be overdone, and in proof o
which they point to particular season;
when the markets have been glutteC
with peaches. apples and othel
fruits. but as rule these occasional
excuses are the direct effect of larg,
previous profits. Just as with every
other business. Yet it may be laiC
down as safe proposition that thu
market will never be greatly over
stocked for any length of time witt
really fine fruit. If all who grow
fruit would convince themselves thai
it costs nearly as much to grow, shiI
and sell poor as it does good fruit
there would be better work. in or
chards and less poor inferior fruits oil
the market.
Iwould speak but word in con
clusion on the setting OF trees fol
pleasure, for the identifying of home
and while / call them pleasure trees
there is To my mind no more profitable
investment, in time and money, than
a judicious setting of trees for home