The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-22


The next thing is the selection OF
fruit trees Don't fill your orchard with
countless varieties. There should not be
over two varieties in your main or
chard- OF course, it is well enough &c
have a variety of summer and fall
fruits for family consumption, but nc
more.
Choose some good shipping variety
for planting. The Ben Davis, Arkan-
sas Black, Mammoth Blacktwig and
Winesap are all excellent shipping APP
pies One generally plants fruit for
the profit to be derived therefrom, SC
the less the variety the better it will
be, but be sure and select a good one
The trees should be good, thrifty
whole roots, as they WI live longer,
grow thriftier and produce better
quality of fruit. II is simply waste
of time To plant piece roots; their Vi
tally is too limited TO give them room
on the farm. Then another argument
against them is that will only bear
about three or four crops OF apples be-
fore they are dead. In other words, the
orchard is dead when it ought to be in
the prime if life.
The whole roots will bear Just as
quickly. and not only that, they will
also serve the next generation
Dig the holes deep and wide. Don I
cat the roots back, unless they be
broken or otherwise injured. In placing
the tree in the ground. first put some
fresh top soil in the bottom of the hole.
making something like cone; then set
the tree with the heaviest branches 10
the southwest, also lean the tree at an
angle of 45 degrees to the southwest
1t will soon get straight, and perhaps
lean the other way, from the fact that
a tree naturally grows faster on the
north side.
Spread the roots out well before
throwing in the dirt, making sure to
leave none turning up; better cut them
off than to plant in that way. so for
this reason dig the holes wide enough
so as to admit all the branches. l have
observed some in planting get down on
their knees. placing the dirt around
the roots with their hands. This IS
wrong, even though the poet says:
wide let it's hollow bed be made;
There. gently lay the roots, and there
Sift the dark mold with kindly care.
And press it DER them tenderly,
AS round the sleeping infants feet
We softly place the cradle sheet
The first of these lines is wise and
practical enough, but experience has
taught the professional fruit man dl1-
ferently in regard to the ending.
The ground should be packed nrm
around the roots, either by tramping
with the feet or by using some suit
able implement for tamping.
The trees should be topped uniformly.
1 would prefer a height of three rect
but some like longer trunk.
In the spring, after the young buds
begin TO grow. go over the orchard
and take of all those on the BODY, eX-
cept those at the top, which are lert TO
10 ,rrrl "a
to take them off then than when the
wood begins to get hard.
BY following this plan each year,
there will not be much necessity for
trimming. as the buds taken off while
young will not cause any injury TO the
tree. and if this is done while the trees
are young all that will be necessary
when the tree is grown will be to take
out the dead limbs and watersprouts.
The cultivation of the orchard is an
other important consideration. Never
let the orchard grow up in thorns and
thistles. like Solomon's vineyard of
the slothful." but cultivate as you
vo Id a garden. I would suggest that
the first year the orchard be planted
in corn. as the corn will protect the
young trees from the hot summer sun,
which invariably kills quite number
of trees the first season. l would plant
lust one-eighth of the corn rows, run
ming each way. letting the apple tree
answer to a hill of corn.
Pillow thoroughly and weed the apple
trees. keeping them entirely free from
vines and other things that often in
fest the cornfield-
The trees should be gone over in
June and September, and given thor
ough washing with solution of soft
soap and turpentine. This will not
only give bright, glossy color to bark,
but will destroy the insects, which Of
ten do great injury to the trees. While
thus going over watch for boil worms
and kill them, for they seldom fail to
ruin the tree.
Be sure to wrap in the fall in order
@ insure protection against the rabbits,
Which are numerous in most sections;
wrap with cornstalks, screen wire or
paper, but remove all wrappings in the
.arly spring. However, some say let
he wrapping stay on, that it will pro-
ect the tree from the sun, but expe-
nee teaches its removal.
Beware OF sowing the orchard in any
lind of grain, as it absorbs too much
strength from the soil, thus depriving
he trees from their necessary support.
1 would advise the cultivation of peas
n the orchard after the first year,
which are an excellent fertilizer of the
oil.
1t is a good idea to mulch the trees.
This is a good thing where the soil is
hin, but cultivation is better when the
and is of good quality. If mulching be
escorted to, don't fail to cultivate the
pace between the trees.
When the trees reach their prime do I
lot run the land in any kind of crop,
nut turn the soil twice a year and keep /
he ground in a good state of cultiva- /
ion; it will add to your profits largely. |
f the orchard is worth anything at all /
t is worth the space it occupies with
ut raising another crop in addition.
The best time for planting, that is in I
his latitude, is the fall, as the weather
5 seldom so severe as to produce any {
injury. Then the trees viii grow faster
rhen spring comes than those planted
n the spring.
The apple is not a luxury. as some
lain, but it is an actual necessity, and
o farmer should allow himself to be
Without it.
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