The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-01-18
OF INTEREST TO ERHlT MEN.
Present Condition II The Orchards
la ss"rgin.


once in the early spring, jnst after she
February freeze. and again In the late
fall The effect of the reeze. combined
with the exhaustion caused by tbs
enormous crop of the preceding year.
wss very trying on bearing peaches and
plums; and indeed, at one time it was
thought that large per cent would
perish. The wideawake growers, how
ever, at first excited and discouraged,
went to work 10 give the trees every
possible assistance TO recover. Tha
work OF pruning was the first s;ep
Weak branches were taken ont, and .,
rule about one.third of the tops Gus
away. Then the cultivators were ser I'd
work and kept at it throughout the
summer season. In some cases, espe-
cially when the condition of the land
demanded it. fertilizers were used. The
effect was wonderful The trees came
out and made luxuriant growth and
were enabled to Withstand the drcuSh
to which many trees not SO treated had
10 succumb
Many orchards, however, were neg.
lected, in part if not wholly. Some
pruned but did not cultivate. Others
did neither Such neglected orchardi
sustained heavy losses and thousands Of
trees died.
The orchards that have been properly
cared for are in excellent condition
The trees are full of fruit buds and il
one.tenth of these buds reach maturity
we may expect good crop OF fruit.
The San Jose scale that escaped last
winters treatment took advantage OF
the summer season and multiplied very
rapidly. Trees that were nearly clean
in the spring were lady encrusted In
the fall. But the work of treating in.
tested orchards is being vigorously
pushed this winter and the scale il
fairly we'll under control. The scale
situation is not SO serious as it was
year ago.
SOME WORK FOR WINTER AND SPRING
An orchard requires attention in win.
ter as well as summer. 1t is we'll thai
the work is so divided that the men
will have something to do in winter
while they rest"
PRUNING.
All the pruning can be done during
the winter Specific direction cannot bd
given for pruning. Every man must
study the character of the growth OF
his trees and prune according to his
Judgment and common sense. The
early pruning should be done with a
view to shape the tree. establishing q
well formed. low, open head. Thin ont
the tangling branches and shorten in
thosesthat have tendency to shoot NJ
too rp. Some pruning should be
done aYery year, but when the tree
comes into bearing less pruning is nee.
essary and the principal aim should be
10 prune for fruit Of the highest perfec.
ton. II the fruit buds are plentiful
pruns regardless Of them. bat IL they are
scarce avoid cutting any away. At ell
tunes dead or dying Mmbs. and dead
trees. should DO taken ont and burncd.
A fruit grower should always carry
with him sharp knife and apply IL
whenever he sees water sprout" OF
other shoot that should be taken out, in
Summer and winter.
SPRAYING.
For scale insects and certain fuu0ous
diseases winter and spring treatment
is necessary. The work against the
San Jose scale should now he we'll nm.
der way. One treatment should have
been applied before Christmas. Tbs
second application may be made at any
time before the fruit buds open.
For general work we are using the 20
per cent mechanical mixture Of kero.
sene and water. In special cases and
where only few trees are involved
even as high as 80 per cent kerosene is
used. This latter strength. however.
is too severe on the trees and is moi
recommended for general use. If no
treatment has yet been applied, two ap.
plications should be made as soon as
possible with an interval of two weeks.
Infested trees that are left untreated
this winter will be almost beyond re.
covery by another year.
Trees that are infested with the
cherry scale. peach bark louise and
other native scales should be sprayed or
washed with a solution of whale oil
soap at the rate of pound to the gal
lon of water. It is good practice to
wash the trees with this soap solution,
even though they be not infested with
scales. 1t cleans OF the bark, dislodges
spores of fungi and invigorates the
| trees.
For peach leaf cure, which il quite
prevalent in North Georgia. Bordeaux
should be used. The first application
of Bordeaux "A pounds copper sulphate
and pounds Of lime TO 80 gallons of
water) should be made just before the
fruit buds open A second applica-
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