Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-29


Without Money But Beyond Prios
The State Agricultural College ha.
| just issued q volume under the above
name. from the Horticultural Depart
inent Of the Experiment Station. that
cannot fail to be Of interest. and will
certainly be OF value. to every farmer
aud fruit grower of the State, who Il
fortunate enough to secure . copy. and
who carries out the directions there
given. In the care of his fruit gardens
and orchards.
1t really contains four bulletins. one
of which alone IL well worth the price
of a years subscription to this paper.
but by special arrangement with the
College authorities we are able to offer
the four, In one neatly bound volume.
to any OF our subscribers. residing IN
the State Of Michigan, who will comply
with the conditions named later on,
and who In writing for the book states
that he Is subscriber to the CRAw-
FORD Co. AVALANCHE.
While they can be secured without
money, every one who obtains a copy
will find them beyond price. The
bulletins are a continuation Of the
series begun in 1885, and are mum
bered consecutively from 103 to LOG.
Bulletin 1903 is an elaborate sym
postum upon Peach and Plum Culture
In Michigan. by the Horticulturist of
the Station, l.. r. Taft. 1t discusses
in an interesting manner the natural
conditions that give Michigan its pres
ent standing as a fruit-growing State.
and indicates the localities best adapt
ed to the successful cultivation Of the
above-named fruits. Since SO much
depends upon the soil, exposure,
elevation and other surroundings, a
considerable space is very properly de-
voted to those subjects. We learn
iioii Wis ouiictih ehdo thc hiChiSuo
Peach Belt extends along the shore of
Lake Michigan, from the south of st.
Joseph well to the north of Charlie
voix, and varies in width from ten to
thirty miles; here peaches can be
grown with success in almost any ele-
waited spot. Near the lake, however.
the conditions are so favorable, owing
to the aneliorating influence of the
open waters of Lake Michigan, that in
many sections. success has been OBJ
tanned in localities where the land is
quite low and level. Away from the
lake In the interior counties, notably
LeDawee, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Jack
son, Calhoun, Clinton and Kent, and
in favorable locations ia others, good
results have been obtained with this
tickle crop. when it has been cared for
intelligently. The methods of hand
ling the orchards recommended, are
based upon actual experience at the
college, and are those practiced by our
most successful fruit.growers. The
preparation of the ground. the nursery
culture of the trees, the planting and
pruning of the orchards and their after
cultivation are discussed at length.
The different methods of pruning the
trees are illustrated by photographs of
actual trees varying from one to five
years of age. The matters of manures
and fertilizers is also given consider
able attention. The conclusion is that.
while decomposed stable manure is ex-
cellent as fertilizer. it is likely to
produce late growth, and that the
trees, as we'll as the fruit buds, are
more likely to be injured by the win
ter than when chemical fertilizers are
used. The nature of the different
materials needed by the trees receives
attention and formulas for mixing the
fertilizers are given.
The list of varieties recommended
have been passed upon by some of the
best known fruit-growers, and one
could hardly 60 astray who uses the
kinds mentioned. Illustrations of nine
leading varieties of plums are given.
They were drawn from photographs
and show the size and shape of the
fruits to good advantage.
The insects and diseases that prey
upon these fruits are described and
several of them are illustrated; partic-
ular attention is given to the yellows,
rot and leaf-curl of the peach, and the
black knot, shot-hole fungus, rot and
curculio, of the plum and remedies for
fighting these and other pests are care
fully presented. Formula for prepar-
ing oil of the leading insectides and
fungicides, that are used not only
against the insects and diseases of the