Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-03-11
horticultural Society Meeting.

The Otero County Horticultural
Society met at Robins Hall last Satur-
day. The attendance was tlarger than
usual and much interest was taken in
the discussion of various topics First
on the program was paper by j. G..
Kahn on Preparation of Soil For Fruit
Crops. Mr.. Kahn had not prepared a
paper and explained that the subject
was such familiar one that he would
merely tell in few words the best meth
ods he had found by experience. The
main points brought out by the talk and
the discussion that followed are: Plow
deep-the deeper the better. Where sod
il to be prepared for planting use the
disk harrow frequently and also the drag
and roller. To prepare for planting, run
a lister as deep as possible in the direc
ton the water is to run in irrigating, and
mark Croeswise, setting tree in junction
Of these cross furrows. An ordinary
plow can be used TO make the main fur
rows. going up and down until as deep
earth. Follow this, or the lister work,
with a subsoil pillow loosening up these
burrows as deep a. possible. Shovel out
the subsoil where tree is to be set and
put in few inches Of top soil ON which
to set the roots. Fill mp around and
among the roots with loose top soil.
Pack this with the foot sufficient to hold
the tree in place, then turn in the water
and allow it to run slowly through the
rows, soaking and settling the earth
among the roots. As soon as dry enough
to work with horse and light plow, turn
furrow in from each slde. filling up
each side in which tO apply the water at
the next irrigation.
Prof. Blinn had written no paper but
had gathered from various bulletins and
works ON horticulture, the experience
and ideas Of the foremost fruit growers
of the United States on the question Of
"HOw and What to Plant in the Orch
ard" Most Of the testimony brought
out. as we'll as the experience Of the
fruit growers at the meeting, point to the
facts: All the hoed crops can be grown
in the orchard without detrinent TO the
trees. Small fruits are benefited by the
shade and do not injure the trees provid-
ed the properties taken from the soil by
turned in the form OF some kind OF fer
tilizer. The clovers and all leguminous
plants are Of benefit TO the orchard il
plowed under. Corn is not desirable
crop and grass is the worst enemy OF the
orchard.
o. d. Shields, the Lovelaud nursery
man, was present, and upon being invit-
ed to address the meeting, gave his opin-
ion OF our county as fruit country
after three or four days spent in the vi
cinity OF Rocky Ford, Manzanola and
Fowler. Hepredicts that the day will
come when the country between Fowler
and LIN Junta will be one solid orchard,
from which train loads, instead OF car
it will pay the fruit buyers to come to
buy and pack. He madc a special point
that the keeping qualities of
our fruit will enable us to place ii oD the
eastern market In the spring after the
fruit OF the rain belt has passed its sea-
son.
It was suggested that since there arc a
Of five. and ten-ncre orchards in
the vicinity OF Rocky Ford which will
he coming into bearing this season and
as the owners can not well afford to pur.
chase spraying out6t for so few trees,
il is quite essential that someone be in
duccd to procure q substantial outfit and
go into the spraying businesss this spring.
1t is most likely that such a venture
would pay il the right party takes hold
Of it and would also prove Of great bene-
fit to the small orchnrdists.
Tho past season number Of our fruit
growers obtained Paris green for spray
ing for the Goblin moth, which proved TO
be very badly adufterated article, and
it WINS suggested that more care be exer-
cised in future to know that the pure ar
ticle is being used, whether OF Paris
green or London purple.
Tho program for tho next meeting,
April 3, will consist OF papers on the fol-
lowing subjects: Strawberries" by
Fred w. Stanbridge. "Pruning." BY
Frank Crowley. "Plnnting," by r. o.
Nc CLAIM.