Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-03-27
Orchard Culture.

| W. P. Atherton, of HallowelI, who is
| full orchardists in the state, has the
following interesting and valuable
communication in the American Cul-
| tivator:
| From years of observation and con-
| siderable experiences in orchard culture
! now more firmly than ever believe
that frequent topdressing and mulch
ing is the ideal and best method I
am speaking of orchards in bearing
condition. That is from and after 10
or II years of setting and cultivation
| till they die or become unprofitable
When trees are first set and from
| eight to IL years thereafter. according
to location, variety soil and cultivation,
| they will advance much faster by the
stirring of the soil with liberal dress
ing than they will if set and kept in
grass land with the same amount of
dressing.
'One of the most successful orchard
| lists in kennebec county, if not in the
State of Maine, has always pursued
this method. He would not have hogs
| in his orchard on any consideration
| and he doesn't care to have sheep,
but he goes right on from year to
year topdressing and mulching. He
spreads the dressing. whether stable
manure or ashes, under his trees every
other year as far as the branches ex-
tend and mulches to the same extent.
| Under this system the land has be-
come very moist and rich, the fruit
large and having longer and better
keeping qualities thanif forced through
spasmodic efforts by plowing and
heavy dressing He gets more fruit
from seven or eight acres of orchard
apple trees than many others do from
| two and three times that area
When riding from South China
| early last fall | noticed two or three
orchards heavily loaded with fine fruit
mostly Baldwins, and as it was yeal
when most orchards in Maine were
| barren of fruit | took more notice OF
| them than ! otherwise should We
had but little rain last summer and the
| fields at that time-Septemb bcr--Were
generally suffering. but | noticed first
| that the grass in these orchards. al
| though short, was very thick In growth
and Of rich June color The land had
the appearanccof having been resecded
| within three or four years and made
| very rich. Then old hay or meadow
| nay was spread literally under the
| trees as far II, the branches extended
| noticed alse that the trees had beeI
properly pruncd. and therefore it wa.
not So surprising as it might have beer
20 see the trees heavily loaded witt
| fruit. many Of them being supported
with props
II used To pursue this method tc
some extent several years ago. anG
had | discarded the raising of hay
herein altogether and topdresses
semi annually with heavy mulching
am quite confident that | would never
nave been obliged to resort to hogs on
sheep. But now that l have begun
work with these animals having
turned out Sla acres to hogs and six
acres to sheep. | shall keep on a few
years longer and note results.
Il do not trust wholly for dressing
90 the droppings of the hogs and sheer
while in the orchards. but supplement
their work by additional dressing
For instance, l have adjoining my
sheep pasture. in which there are tive
acres of young apple trees. a very fine
4cui -titlt bttndfu containing ABOUT
500 trees, mostly in bearing. | used
all the sheep dressing made last win
ter from a flock of 40 sheep under
these trees as far as that would go
then eight barrels of hen dressing. six
barrels of unleached wood ashes and
stable manure, until every tree had
dressing as far as the limbs extended
Then old hay and new meadow hay
was spread thickly over the same the
whole consuming several tons Sheep
and lambs had the run of this orchard
all summer. and what | did was sup
Elementary. !
This orchard was thoroughly pruned
the year previous, and it does seem tc
me that having done all | could except
spraying for and watching to destroy
insect pests, which l shall not neglect
ought to see beneficial results some
time. if not the coming year. The cost
Of all this additional dressing and la
hor cannot be far from 800, but | have
faith to believe that it win be good
Investment" |