The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-09
GRAND OLD ORCHARD.
Never Has an on Year and Never
DeteriOutes.

never TN VII hNssh N-NsNA ~
DeteriOates.
From the Indianapolis News
The largest apple orchard in east
ern Indiana is that of Mr.. Deolen
Daugherty, whose farm Is near Jack
sonburg, in Wayne county This or
chard comprises twenty acres and is
much larger than many of the famous
fruit ranches in California. 1t 1t not
the size of the orchard that makes it
worthy of consider alton, but the fact
that through Mr. Daugherty's methods
the orchard has not failed to produce
a profitable crop of fruit since it's
first bearing year.
Twenty years ago Mr.. w. H. Daugh
erty father of the present owner, set
out 100 apple trees on ground that had
been selected for an orchard after care
full experimentation. The elder Mr.
Daugherty, gave the subject OF apple
production much investigation, and
became convinced that the quality and
j character of the soil had much to do
with the orchards production. He ex-
amined and compared the soil from
many different orchards and selected
rolling piece of ground for his farm.
where yellow clay and loan predom-
mated. No attention was given to any
natural shelter the surrounding coun-
try of woodland might afford the tree.
the soil being the only consideration
that led him to select the site.
Systematic Cultivation.
AS soon as the trees were well start
ed to growing, systematic course of
cultivation was adopted. The ground
was cultivated, the trees carefully trim
med and mulched with barnyards ma
nure, and this continued until the trees
were well under bearing From the
time that the first blooms appeared on
the young trees until the present year,
no season has been allowed to pass by
without the trees receiving a thorough
spraying with a solution composed of a
quarter of a pound of paris green to
forty-five gallons of water. This is alb
solutely all the spraying solution that
has ever been used on the trees, and
1t is so cheap that any farmer can af-
ford thoroughly to treat his orchards
with 1t. That 1t is effective is proved
by the abundant crops Of apples that
are grown every year on this orchard.
When the bloom begins to fall from
the trees is the time for the first spray
ing. Each side of the tree is made
thoroughly wet with the above solu-
tion. On two weeks afterward the solu-
ton Is again applied very thoroughly,
ard that is all the spraying the trees
receive.
Way Insects Work.
This simple treatment serves to de-
stroy the germs of insects that are de-
posted in the open flowers by moths,
millers and other insects whose pres
-.
in bloom. If these germs are permitted
to remain they will become inclosed
in the flower and find a home in the
fruit. 1t is not their natural home,
however, and as soon as the proper
stage in their existence arrives they
begin to eat their way to the surface,
through which they emerge about the
time the fruit is ready to be gathered.
All fruit that has nurtured such in
sects Is defective It's surface may, in
deed. appear perfect, but the heart is
rotten and the flavor and keeping
qualities ruined. No remedy has ever
been found for this pest but to spray
the bloom with a mild poison. Many
solutions have been prepared, but as
most Of them are expensive they have
not been generally used by farmers
who have orchards. Mr.. Daugherty's
solution Is very cheap, practically
harmless and may be compounded by
any one on the ground
Trimmed Out Three Times.
This year Mr. Daugherty has found
II necessary to thin out the fruit on
his trees three several times, and now
the trees appear heavily loaded with
perfect fruit. Apparently there Is no.
an unsound apple in the orchard, for
In more than one hundred that were
opened not one defective apple was
found. This Is the result Of the spray
ing.
About two thousand bushels have
been taken out of this orchard so far
this year. and IL lis estimated that
three thousand bushels OF select fruit
remains on the trees. This fruit will be
packed in new barrels In the orchard
and hauled 10 the railway station for
shipment TO Eastern markets. The very
top price was realized for this fruis
In the past years. and II may be said.
In proof of the utility Of Mr.. Daugh-
crty's methods, that there has never
been a failure of crops in this orchard
from the first year II bore until now.
There are fifteen varieties of trees
In this orchard, the Ben Davis leading.
This is not a popular apple here at