Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-03-01
Horticulture, Observation.

Horticultural observations
As spring approaches the mind OF
die farmer naturally turns towards
the planting OF seeds and the setting
out OF plants. At this time do not per-
! nit 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 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-
iIon to certain other objects will be-
come things OF beauty and value. 4
few running vines. planted in proper
positions. will add much TO the ap-
pcarance OF the old place.
According to the statement o:
prominent horticulturist. frozen apples
may be utilized In the making OF Vine
Ear. The gentleman in mind said that
one winter he had some apples stored
In his mill that were caught by hard
freeze. He did nothing with them till
;hcy were thawcd out In the spring.
u which time he put them into hs
elder mill and ground and pressed
.hcm. lie got one-thlrd more cider
than usual and II made hrst-ciass vine
sar. and even took ,sss time TO ac-
GuiTc acIdity than cider made from
anfroyen apples. We all know how
juicy the apple Is tha; hangs on the
tree all winter and Is thawed ou, in
the spring. But " there Is no obIec-
ton TO such vinegar the question nat
ufaiiy rises why don't they make all
their cider that way. since they saia
ac-third more In quantity"
There are many old orchards that
aiIght be galvanized into life by
thorough pruning. When they are In
their las, stage the danger OF such an
operation ID small: for their usefulness
Is near an end anyway. and II few
extra crops can be obtained by heroic
methods. they should be applied. II
Is no unusual thing to see n dccadent
orchard given up TO the woodman. \
/ few Issues ago We referred to some
experiments By II. \. Aiirich. In
which the results OF prunin. an old
orchard were shown. In his ease the
/ trees bore n heavy crop OF apples the
I following year. Whether subsequent
years will show success or failure re-
mains to b, seen. The effect may be
where n heavy crop Is secured for n few
similar to thar OF siTdlins OF Eirs!n.
years. hut carly death results. In the
case OF young vineyards and orchards
I shIa lW ns n hfs ygnrLaH fnrs
but We can afford to take long chances
with dying orchards.
The writer remembers an old Green
Ing apple tree In the Eas, that had
lived and borne fruit till Its trunk had
been split open by some process OF
nature. revealing heart falling into
decay. A great gale came and tipped
the tree over Till It rested on It's
branches. One would think that such
tree had lived out its entire life. ana
this would have been the case had not
| the tree been In 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. II also re-
ceived the drainage from the barn
yard. and in fact Its roots extended
to the barnyard. So 1t continued to
live. and year after year II bore
small quantity OF very large apples.
which were fine in texture and superior
in quality. 1t illustrated the fact that
a large supply OF fertility in liquid
| form is OF great value as health
! restorer to dccndcnt trees. II We would
| take this lesson more to heart We
would have fewer unproductivc or
ehards. The statement is probably
true tina. more orchards are starved to
death thaa are killed by overlooking.