Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-01-07
Old Apple Trccn.

Old Apple Trees.
The theory Is quite prevalent |
among many farmers that apple trees
should be cut down when they cease to |
be productive In consequence Of the
decay of the branches. writes E. NJ.
Shaw in N. E. Farmer. Oftentime3.
and In most cases. such trees can be
restored to a vigorous growth and
healthy condition by cutting away the
old decayed portion and allowing new
branches to take their places. This
will nearly always follow when trees are
well cared for and liberal supply OF
potash be given them. l saw an apple
tree recently on Orchard hill In the
town Of Kensington. in this state that
was the remaining tree OF an orchard
set out ninety years ago. All Of the
other trees were cut down thirty-nve
years ago. This one. bearing favorite
apple. by the pleadings of large fam
lily of children. was allowed to remain.
or late years the ground around 1t has
been cultivated. and 1t is a constant
bearer. It is now covered with q dense
SEeeH IOIIuSes anu thS htuoo hosC hhtkaC
a growth this year OF over foot. Its
condition to-day shows the folly Of cut
ting down trees us soon as they cease
to grow and bear fruit. Plow around
them, or where this cannot be done use
n spring tooth harrow. Mulch them well
and put on a good supply Of muriate Of
potash, cut of the old. decaying. moss
covered branches. grow out a new top
of smooth wood and you will have the
pleasure Of seeing large. smooth fruit
growing, where once were only small,
inferior apples. Age has but little to do
with causing a tree to decay. One OF
the apple trees set out by the Arcadians
more than $50 years ago. is still stand
ing near their old home at Grand Pre-.
Nova Scotia. and In 1894 was loaded
with fruit.
Some Commercial Fertilizers.-Gyp-
sum Qand plaster) has the power Of
holding ammonia and preventing its
loss. II must, however, be moist in or
der TO be effective. The best way to
use gypsum is to sprinkle 1t on the
moist dung or urine. Stables In which
.he excrements are properly treated u
this means are noticeably free frn..i
offensiye odors, as q rule. Kainit
.nrinkled upon manure tends to check
fermentation and also to attract and
hold moisture. One precaution should
he observed in the use Of kainit: It
should be kept from under the feet of
animals, since injury may result to the
feet of animals treading on 1t. It II.
therefore, best applied to fresh manure
and covered with litter. Acid phos-
nhate contains n considerable propor-
tion of gypsum, and. to this extent. It's
action is like that OF gypsum. The
soluble phosphate in the acid phos-
nhnte tends to unite with ammonia and
nreyent its loss and also to check fer
mentation.-Ex.
Fine Soil.-Within certain limits. the
finer the soil is the more available be-
comes the plant food 1t contains. In
the case Of stiff clay soils. Professor
Corbett holds that the state of division
of soil particles can be carried too fa>.
To pulyerize 1t into dust makes It
mack, and II rain occurs 1t becomes
adhesive and upon drying loses its fri
ablc consistency. In general, however,
the uuNReT uoCS NV iAS IA wv AhuSu
cultivation. but from the contrary side.
With sandy, gravelly and loamy soils.
the more thorough the cultivation the |
more available food will be utilized by |
the plant. The primary requirements
for success are deep plowing followed
by a thorough narrowing as prepara-
ton for a suitable seed bed.-Ex.
The Dandelion.-The dandelion is an
Old World flower. not native in Ameri- !
ca, save far to the north and on some |
Of the highest Of our western noun
tains. But somehow It was brought |
here, perhaps from England in old
colonial times. Now We see Its golden |
heads and feathery balls ut every |
grassy roadside. the "clocks" the boys
and girls blow to tell the hour. A few
wears ago farmers in the northwest
found a new weed, n vile prickly weed,
In their wheat fields. In a very short
time this weed, the Russian thistle. has
snread over wide acres Of the best farm
land in that part Of the country. and
has done great injury to the crops.-
Ex.
Only by combining in some degree
,an the producers Of fruit protect their