Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-05-09

Cultivation and Irrigation Of the
Orchard.
As the time has como to commence
| cultivation of the orchard and fruit farm
| few words in that line may not be
amiss. The first of this week we COM
| menced cultivation in our Fairview Or
chards. The tool used was double,
shovel plow on which had been fixed a
pair OF shovels. made on the plan OF those
used on the two-horse cultivators, 90 that
they can be turned so as to throw the
dirt to the right or left with as much
force as desired. These were adjusted
SO as TO turn the earth to the right. The
plowman then went up and down on
each side, throwing the dirt toward the
trees, and running as close to the row MS
possible. The plow is made to go as
deep as possible without disturbing the
roots, which do not come very near the
surface when no mulching is done and
the surface has not been flooded during
the past irrigation. The soil was in fair
ly moist condition from the SHOWS OF last
winter, but the evaporation through the
leaves since growth has begun and the
direct influence of the sun is fast drying
out the top soil 80 that irrigation is need
was brought into use, running . clean,
but shallow furrow on each side about a
foot from the tree. Into this small
stream of water is turned which runs
slowly through, soaking the soil op both
sides and not washing tho soil or break
ing out of the furrow. We endeavor to
regulate this 30 about twelve hours il
required for this stream to run through
row which is about 40 rods in length and
| hy tho time tho or1 10 raoCboI tho land
is soaked thoroughly. Where a larger
amount of water is used it is necessary to
let it run Just as long to saturate the soil
and much is wasted, so that it is evident
that head OF water will irrigate more
and better where very small stream is
turned into each furrow.
The cultivator should be run after
each irrigation, filling these burrows and
causing the soil to retain the moisture
for a greater length OF time. The
amount of water required by the orchard
will depend on the character Of the soil,
age Of trees, cultivation, etc. When the
trees are maturing heavy crop of fruit
is when the trees need the most moisture
and the effect will be seen
both in the fruit and in the tree. The
fruit will rob the tree unless means are
provided for the roots to secure the need
ed nourishment, and the tree will bo SO
weakened that it will be unable to pro-
duce full crop the following year, and
il the ordeal must be gone through with
very many times the Life of the tree will
undoubtedly be shortened. Examples OF
this class are numerous throughout the
eastern and middle statos and in the rain
belts Of the west.
When the grape vineyard is reached it
oultivator or something that will stir the
surface thoroughly but not go deep as
the roots feed near the surface. Grapes
need heat but not much moisture at this
time.
The strawberry patch should not be
disturbed until after the fruiting season.
However plentiful supply OF water
should be given and the fruit beds and
foliage kept in aourishing condition.
Gooseberries and fruits of this order
should be cultivated often and an extra
amount of water should be given until
the crop is matured.
Probably some of us will be pruning
our orchards at this time, SO let us look
into the trees with their load Of blossoms.
By 30 doing we can now see the wisdom
of pruning according to the principles
we advocated in our article on that SUBJ
ject in the February numbers of this pa
per. Look at our neighbor over hero, he
has gone into his 6-year-old orchard Of
Ben Davis, Wine Sap and Missouri Pip
pin, all Of which would have been loaded
with fruit. He made up his mind about
six weeks ago that there too many small
limbs in the heads of his treees. Accord
ingly he cut off all the small twigs and
secondary branches along the trunk and
main limbs up to the middle of the head
This let the air and sunshine paes
through the tops quite freely and the
large limbs, relieved of this brush, appear
to have plenty Of room. But what does
it look like now that the leaves and bios
SONS have come out? We find the main
limbs and the trunk bare up to the last
two years growth. We find few bios
SONS on the young wood. The sun can
get a chance to sc2rch the limbs, which
were last year clothed in small twigs
and rosetts of leaves, but are now ex-
posed. On other trees, properly pruned,
We find that heavy crop Of fruit will be
borne on the two and three-year-old
spurs which are set along on the three
and four-year- old branches.
Where our neighbor's tops were really
too thick it would have been well to have
removed some of the main limbs which
stem that they will crowd in after years
when they attain diameter Of or 6
inches. Even if the tops do seem crowd
ed there will be plenty Of room when the
weight of fruit spreads the limbs by
bending down and outward.
On the newly set trees there will be
some suckers start along the body below
the head and these can be removed with
the thumb and finger when small and il
attended TO occasionally during the sum-
mer much knife work will be saved and
the growth directed into the permanent
portion of the tree.-Frank Crowley in
La Junta Times.
MAN wants but little here below,
III But finds 1t isn't best,
Because so many other mon
Are after all the rest.
Detroit Free Press.
Geo. W. Gross has his bath rooms in
successful operation and the appoint
ments thereof are complete in every way.
It NAV not be lust the thing TO aupoest