The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-02-03

wet land will not grow fruit and will prove
failure in the end pillow, harrow and
mark out 10 acres for apple trees a feet
each way will give you "a trees to the
acre These will cost 10 cents each. OF
what kind? Some one asked that question
said, if he was going to set out an apple
orchard of 1000 trees, he would have 999
of one kind and what about that other
tree where that would be the same kind?
My pick for paying crop of apples would
be the Ben Davis, and would put in 900
trees of this for market and 100 others of
several kinds for home use and local trade.
Given the trees, | would set them no
deeper than they were in the nursery.
After the trees were planted, and the earth
was packed down hard about them to shut
out the air from the roots, | would plant
the orchard in truck, and by no means
plant oats, wheat or grass for five years.
In the fall | would begin carting manure
for the trees, spreading 100 pounds TO the
tree. The second year | would do as in
the first, only would begin now to hunt
the borers, going for them in the spring,
summer and fall, searching for them thor
oughly, to be sure that none should get a
foothold. would not trim, and | would
not forget the 100 pounds of New York
horse manure. For five years L would
follow the same routine; that is, truck in
growing time, manure in resting lime, and
hunting borers all the time. When the
trees are five years old they have each cost
65 cents; that is, tree, 10 cents; manure
per annum, ii cents-the truck having
paid for the use of the land.
What to do next is where fruit growers
disagree would sow the orchard in clo-
yer and timothy, and the winter coat, in
stead of being 100 pounds of manure,
should be 300 pounds, spreading it as far
as the shade falls at midday. At this age
we must begin spraying if we are to have
fruit that will keep. For this would use
five ounces Paris green, 10 gallons strong
whitewash of fresh Stacked lime, all put
into a barrel that will hold 10 gallons, and
fill up with water Stir well all the time
you are spraying Spray first when the
buds begins to swell and again just after
the bloom has fallen. Do not spray when
trees are in bloom, as the wash will kill the
bees, and their work of mixing the pollen
is an important one Then week later
give another heavy dose.
The above is my plan, and it was so far
successful that last year had 1900 bask-
cts Ben Davis apples per acre, which sold
for 30 cents net, besides having 500
worth of asparagus to this acre. Trees
and asparagus were set out the same spring
eight years ago.
Fruit grown in this way is not of the
20-cent order, and | am not compelled to
sort over barrel full to top off a basket
with, but it is all alike, and commands 30
per cent, more than the ordinary.
OF pears | would select several kinds
and all should be such as would command
the best price in the market. These |
would plant lG feet each way, which would
give l65 trees to the acre. My choice
would be Bartlett, Keffer and Clapp, plant
ing them in the first row in order named.
For the second row | would begin with
the Keiffer, following with Clapp and Bart
lett for the third | would begin with
Capp, following with Bartlett and keitfer.
Thus, striking diagonally across, | would
have a row of each kind would do this
for four reasons To have the Keiffer
surrounded by other varieties to ensure
polarization in case any kind gave out
from blight or other causes the orchard
would remain solid my Keilfers would
shade Others from the rays of the midsum-
mer sun, while the Keiffer would, in ripen
ing time, have all the sun. Following
this plan, the fruit will be Of the finest
grade and quality. In this pear orchard |
would plant three rows of strawberries and
top dress the berries in winter, but around
the trees and in the rows | would have
some small truck, treating this pear or
chard the same as the apple until four
years old which | wonld SOW clover and
timothy, and in the fall would treat the
trees to heavy winter overcoat of manure.
At this age my Keiffer gave me two bush
els per tree, which sold for 81 per bushel,
the Bartletts and Clapps following soon
after. Thereafter the rule is feed, spray,
pick and store and reap the just reward
for your labor.