The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-02-10

account for this loss In any way eAcept
through Encouragement of the machine
problem
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
TIE first paper in the afternoon session
of theinstitute was by Mrs. Joseph Free
man, living south of Owosso, on the
subject of "Pears, Peaches, and Grapee,"
Mrs. Freeman came from Germany to
this country but seven years ago, but
she fully understood her subject, having
learned mnch of fruit, evidently, before
coming to the United States.
The honor of speaking to you at this
Farmers Institute was assigned to me
with three topics, namely: On Peaches,
Pears and Grapes. Time will not permit
me to give lengthy explanation on any
one of them so l will only touch on the
most important part of each kind, how to
plant and grow the trees and vines and
how to gather the fruit.
AS rule, no fruit or vine will grow on
wet land they are not webfooted, and
will therefore make no progress. Wher'
ever YOU want to plant, have the soil well
prepared. A hole should be dug large
enough to admit the roots in their natu'
raj position; say two feet square and u
inches deep. The earth to fill in about
the roots should be well pulverized, then
! fiji up the hole with loose earth enough
to bring the tree little lower than II
stood in the nursery and pack the sol
carefully around it.
But whatever kind Of fruit you plant
get your trees of a reliable firm and take
first class stock, so you can reap gooo
fruit and the kind you have ordered. A
pocr tree will cost you the same labor ano
ground. The purchasing cost is the least
OF course you will be very careful aftel
YOU receive your trees, so you VIII no
expose the roots to the sun or wind.
YOU have to go distance after the trees
you will throw few blankets over the
roots, no matter if your trees seem to bt
we'll protected. AS soon as you reacf
vour home have the stock heeled in the
ground near the place you intend to plan
on. Have standard pears at least 10 to IL
feet apart and dwarf pears IL to 10 feet
If it should be very dry you can wate
the roots after they are covered with dir
but before finish setting. All bruised
roots ought to be cut off and the top as'
ought to be pruned little according u
the roots. 1t is especially in the plant
ing line where that old saying fits best
"Well begun is we'll DONE" Trim pea
and peach trees yearly but not severely
We found wood ashes for both kinds tn
best of fertilizers.
II you keep the ground clean your tree
will do nicely; but if you have but fe,
trees and they are in place you canno
cultivate, good mulching will bring tn
trees through drought and start then
well. Pears are not troubled with borer
but coddling moths, spanning worms an
pear slugs may visit them. Sprayin
with an arsenite insectide against the frs
two will be found remedy, but for tn
slug you will find air-slacked lime O
wood ashes busted over them the be:
thing.
The pears want to be gathered befor
ripe. When the stem will readily separat
from the limb by lifting the fruit GENT
will be. the time for picking. Handle a
fruit carefully. Place the pears in dar
room until fully matured. When maj
keting, grade your fruit and sell them fc
what they are. Last year the early pear
were cheaper than apples and hardly pal
for picking them.
The peach tree is more particular whei
and in what kind of soil you plant !
The peach tree does not want soil rich
nitrogen, as this will grow the trees to
rank and they will bear little fruit N
tree commences to flower and fruit unit
! its vegetative exuberance has been some
what checked. When planting the peac
tree prune it to straight whip, ever
branch cut off, trimming to good, liv
bud without regard to the length OF tt
tree. When buds start, rub off all e.
cept three strong buds at top to form
head. Set the trees l6xl6 feet each wa
cultivate all summer and prune each yea
Where "curly Leaf had made an appea
|. ance the previous year, have your tree
|, sprayed before the buds open with DO
deaux mixture. BY no means allow gra
and weeds to grow near the trunks
peach trees as this will give a good cham