Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-06-30
SHEPHERDSTOWN, w. VA, THURSDAY, JUNE 30 1s9S

planting-Plow deep, if sod turn un'
der in August for fall planting or il
autumn for spring planting, Make
holes large and deep, distance 33 feet
Put top soil to one eide, other soil tx
itself. Cut back top Of tree, each lint
FIVE or six buds to balance root place
tree in hole one inch deeper than il
stood in nursery. Put the largest oil
longest root towards the northwest
and lean the tree slightly towards the
southwest to guard against heat of sur
and to prevent scalding. Put top sol
over roots first, gently shake tree ther
press with foot, one person holding the
tree and the other using the shovel
When hole is half filled stamp well
Then FIJI hole solidly, and if in fall o.
year put mound Of earth around the
tree one foot high and take away II
the spring. Plant stake with each
tree and tie with straw or broad leath.
er bands. Allow no grass or rubbish
in or about the tree. Now why al
this? 1 explain. You plow early SO
all grass and rubbish will be decom.
posed, preventing mice nests and tc
freeze out the worms, and having your
ground in nice condition for the cror
Of corn or vegetables you propose tc
grow among the trees. The largest
root to the northwest to strengthen
against the winter winds, and the toI
soil next to the roots because it is best
as food for the little roots and fibres
The mound of earth is to keep the tree
steady through the winter, protect
against field mice and ward off all
standing water. Keep all rubbish
away and out of hole or you invite
mice, and take mound of earth away
in the spring. Thirty-three feet each
way will give you forty trees to the
acre. This, l think, is close enough,
though some orchards plant fifteen
feet each away, and when the trees
begin to crowd each other they cut out
every alternate tee.
4th. CultiUation-This should be
done annually, constantly and regu-
larly. Plant in corn, potatoes or 9TH
er vegetables. Never raise wheat, hay,
rye or oats in any orchard. Cultivate
thoroughly with plow and harrow.
Do this till trees reach full bearing
say for at least twelve years then
SOW down in orchard grass and keep
from that onward the grass eaten of
close by sheep. If kept close this is
next best to cultivation. Let sheep
run in from April 18th to November
18th. Allow no stock in an orchard
before it reaches full bearing, then
only sheep. Horses and cattle are too
destructive to the limbs and they eat
the fruit from the trees. The advan-
tage of sheep, besides their keeping
down the grass close, is that they eat
all diseased and worlny fruit as it falls,
besides quart of liquid manure every
"a hours from each sheep, their drop
pings are evenly distributed over the
ground and they retHrn to the soil all
they take off in the shape of good
fertilizer Cultivated crops draw moist
ure to the soil, and wheat, hay, rye,
ETC., take it away, thus robbing the
trees of sufficient water and retarding
their growth. Hogs should be ringed
if allowed in the orchard as their root
ing disfgures the face of the ground
anG makes it unsightly. Potash in the
shape of kainit, wood ashes and barn
ward manure are the best and most re-
liable fertilizers for an apple orchard.
Apple wood requires and has more
potash in it than most any other wood.
9Th. Pruning and Care Of Trees
Cut all limbs and sprouts near the
ground from the tree as fast as they
make their appearance, thus forcing
the growth in the direction it should
90. When tree is four or FIVE years
old, remove the lower limbs to the
height you desire for the head of the
tree, after this only prune where the
growth is too thick or limbs lap or rub
each other Do not prune too much.
Many orchards are ruined by exces-
sive pruning. If anything rather cut
the limbs back and thus keep your
fruit nearer the ground. Some per-
sons think the more they whack tree
the better. Some of our old orchards
are striking examples of pernicious
"ten cent tree" pruning. You note
the limbs pruned into shipmasts and
fishing noles. the fruit all forced out