The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-08-22
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
ROADSIDE ORCHARDS.


source OF lu0At< A<Ut&Aut=
Land Is not yet SO rare In this country
that we are obliged &C. cultivate that
along the borders of our highways, but
the time Is not far distant when condi-
tions here In this respect will more
nearly approximate those OF other
countries than they do at present, and
we may then learn lesson from the
thrift OF some of those "etfete despot-
isIns." In an article in La Nature
paris. March 14). Emmanuel Ratouin
tells how the roadsides in many parts OF
Germany have been made to yield
rich return to the state or TO municipali-
ties by being planted with fruit trees.
We translate part of his article below;
I'm foreign countries orchards of
fruit trees along the roads have given
the best results. IE Wurtemburg. Sax
ony, Bavaria, Hanover. the grand duchy
OF Luxembourg and in Austria the fruit
tree roads have brought in important
sums TO the treasury. In Saxony the
fruit tree budget is especially satisfac-
tory. and the benefits realized by the
state under this have been estimated at
nearly 2,0O0,0OO francs (S40O.O00) for the
last fourteen years.
sin Wurteniberg the planting Of for
est trees along the roads has been en-
tircly given up. A law has been passed
applying TO all fruit orchards and sys-
tematizing their working. The owner
OF the neighboring land takes charge OF
the orchard and the road officials see TO
their protection and care. This serv-
ice is very well organized and does It's
work economically. 1t has been estab-
lisled under almost Identical condition
I'm the palatinate and in Bavaria. In
these localities each ioadman has his
corresponding 'sylvicultor.' Every ia
rility is given 10 these agents for in
creasing their agricultural knowledge.
They are placed under the surveillance
of rural inspectors, who direct their la
bors. This special corps is recruited, IN
part, by competition. These road
sylvicultors' pass an examination ana
follow courses OF instruction. They
sometimes are given the necessary
funds 10 complete their studies.
"The course OF study that is offered at
Iandschule. in Basse Riyiere, has given
the opportunity OF enlisting men es-
pecially adapted for the care of trees.
In Austria. Moravia and Bohemia the
orchard roads. which are very numer-
Gus. are i'm general planted with plum
trees. In these fertile plains there are
orchards of considerable size along the
borders of the roads. The trees are
set about six meters 90 2-3 feeD apart;
they are the object OF exceptional care,
and ID Is not rare 10 see, especially III
the region OF IIradisch. young apple
trees covered with straw up to the
middle of their trunks. The old apple
trees are carefully cleaned and painted
with whitewash TO preserve them from
moss and from fungoid growths. Al
Dressing, in Moravia. elong the roads
the acacia altsrnatcs with the cherry
and the apple.
'In the Tyrol. where the culture O
fruit trees is highly appreciated, the
read orchards are numerous. IL is no
unusual to find in these regions, es
pecially at Hoifgarten, orchards of 1000
TO 1000 apple and pear trees. And no
only are the carriage rouds utilized
thus, but the railway companies haV
fallen into line. Many OF them have
planted the edges of their embhnk
mcnts and the spaces left between thci
tracks and the neighboring properties
"The efforts made by foreign nation
I'm this matter of road orchards car
scarcely be described without speaking
OF the grand duchy OF Luxembourg
which is the chosen land OF the frui
tree. The efforts made by the govern
ments OF the grand duchy 10 develol
fruit culture are most interesting an'
remarkable Nowhere have resource
been better employed and encourage
ments better distributed. The state ha
established an agricultural service
which has for It's special object the fos
tering OF agricultural work and the di
rectiou and execution of most OF sue
public work as the planting OF frui
trees, drainage. irrigation. experiment
stations. the establishment CT roads
etc."-Literary Digest.