Oxford Democrat., 1899-03-21

\ E1rts. NO.
OXFORD POMONA GRANGE.
At least $50 Patrons, representing nine
oranges, braved the storm Of Tuesday,
the 7lh, and attended the meeting at
West Paris. All officers were present.
The program WAS well carried out,
and very interesting. Resolutions were
passed endorsing the good work being
done by the secretary OF the Board OF
Agriculture, and recommending and urg-
ing that no part OF the work be cut OF
nv the legislature, and IL IL earnestly
hoped that liberal appropriation will
be granted, that the farming industry OF
the state may be represented by the sec
retsry of the Board Of Agriculture at
Augusta.
Next meeting al South Paris April 4
ORCHARD TREATMENT.
A warm day when light snow is on
the ground Is an excellent time TO 20
over the orchard and examine the twigs
and boughs and remove all eggs Of in
sects and vermin that might prove de-
structive to next years crop OF fruit.
These are quite easily found" says
George W. Brown ia an exchange.
Manure Is hauled around the trees 10
frozen weather, and the spring rains will
dissolve IL, and carry the fertility TO the
soil.
oAs the tree grows this mode OF fer
tilizttion should widen out In area about
the trees, as the small rootlets gradually
extend farther away from the trunk.
Stable manure and wood ashes make
excellent fertilizer for apple and peach
trees.
Rabbits sre plenty, and sometimes
make bad work girdliug trees In young
orchards. Many girdled trees can be
saved BY opening six-inch tile length
wise, and after placing IL around the
trunk OF the tree, secure it With wire
around the top and bottom, and fil IL mp
with moist earth. Ga removing this
wrapping in the coming autumn, dsmag-
ed bark " i'll usually be found hesled up.
"Our orchards as rule are not pruned
enough, and the result Is msss OF thick,
underbrushy trees, good for little else
than a windbreak, and surely not profit
able as a crop producer. This past sea-
son has been an ''oif year" for the apple.
and We expect to see them try 70 over
bear themselves next season, so that
warning note L. sounded 10 every orchard
owner, 20 work during his spare DAYS
Ia February and March, in the orchard,
and he can rest assured that he will be
rewarded with fine, large, sslaole fruit
next autumn.
The apple orchard csn be pruned st
nearly any date In the year, and we
sometimes think that the oftener these
dates come the better off Ia the apple
crop. IL Il impossible To give any fixed
rule for pruning, ss no two trees grow
beaded alike, but an objective point
should be held In view, 10 remove nj
least as mauy forks ~ possible, and
when removing limb, large or small,
c.re should De taken 70 avoid splitting.
There Is n right place TO sever the limb
from the parent tree, and too many are
careless on this point. A small bulge Is
found st the base OF every limb al its
juneture With the trunk, and In saving
of these branches the cut should be
made lust st the neck OF this bulge.
thereby making as small wound a.
possible, which heals more rapidly and
will not cause decay as would be the
case NfltN N4k 81 Ntf-t W hh' ~ - -
remove this enlargement.
In pruning Young orchard | would
remove what limbs deem TO ne super
fluous, as water sprouts, limbs that have
= tendency TO grow crosswise on the In
side OF the tree, and also those that
threaten 70 extend shove or In an out
ward position, that might In any way
make the top or one side of the tree TOO
heavy. IL YOU sre sn advocate Of low
headed tree, the top branches should be
shortened down, leaving side branches
alone practically, excepting 10 balance
up the tree.
In n more mature orchard one should
pay special attention 10 removing all
water sprouts and limbs that arr Incline
10 cross aud chafe one smother, and cut
out limbs until the suns rays can get
into the tree and paint red cheeks on
every spple. One should use care IN
removing large limbs, aud wounds that
are over m inch 10 diameter should be
either painted over with red paint or q
thin solution OF tsllow and rosin. \
well trained orchard should have no
large limbs 20 remove excepting occs-
siopally."