Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-03-01
horticultural Observations.

As spring approaches the mind OF
the farmer naturally turns towards
the planting OF seeds and the setting
out OF plants. At this time do not per-
init the practical to entirely eclipse the
beautiful. Take another step in ad-
vance in the ornamentation OF the
farm and home. Put out few trees
and vines at least. This does not
necessarily mean a large outlay for
trees and shrubs brought from a dis
lance. In many places on the farm
trees will be found growing wild that
II removed and placed In a position
where they will be observed In rela-
tion to certain other objects will be-
come things of beauty and value. A
few running vines. planted In proper
positions. win add much to the ap-
pearance Of the old place.
According to the statement OF
prominent hortlculturist. frozen apples
may be utilized in the making OF vine
gar. The gentleman In mind said that
one winter he had some apples stored
In his mill that were caught by a hard
freeze. He did nothing with them till
they were thawed out in the spring,
at which time he put them into his
cider mill and ground and pressed
them. lie got one-third more cider
than usual and 1t made first-class vine
gar, and even took less time to ac-
quire acidity than cider made from
unfrozen apples We all know how
tnfrNy ~ nvla to han he
tree all winter and IS thawed out in
the spring. But II there Is no objec-
ton to such vinegar the question nat
urally rises why don't they make all
their cider that way. since they gain
one-third more in quantity?"
There are many old orchards that
might be galvanized into life by
thorough pruning. When they are in
their last stage the danger OF such an
operation is small: for their usefulness
is near an end anyway. and II few
extra crops can be obtained by heroic
methods, they should be applied. 1t
is no unusual thing to see decadent
orchard given up to the woodman. A
few issues ago we referred to some
experiments by II. A. Aldrich, In
which the results of pruning an old
orchard were SHOWN. In his case the
trees bore a heavy crop of apples the
following year. Whether subsequent,
years will snow success or failure re-
mains to be seen. The effect may be
where a heavy crop is secured for a few
similar to that of girdling or ringing,
years, but early death results. In the
case OF young vineyards and orchards
this is not result to be worked for;
but we can afford to take long chances
with dying orchards.
The writer remembers an old Green
ing apple tree in the East that had
lived and borne fruit till its trunk had
been split open by some process OF
nature. revealing a heart falling into
decay. A great gale came and tipped
the tree over till II rested on its
branches. One would think that such
q tree had lived out its entire life, and
this would have been the case had not
the tree been in a place that was in
every way suitable to stimulate its
recovery. II was sheltered to some
extent by the farm outbuildIngs and
more by board fence. 1t also re-
ceiyed the drainage from the barn
yard. and in fact its roots extended
to the barnyard. So 1t continued to
live. aud year after year it bore a
small quantity of very large apples,
which were fine in texture and superior
in quality. 1t illustrated the fact that
large supply OF fertility in liquid
form is of great value as a health
restorer to decadent trees. II we would
take this lesson more to heart we
would have fewer unproductive or
chards. The statement Is probably
true that more orchards are starved to
death than are killed by overlooking.