Evening star., 1901-06-22
YOUR OWN FRUIT GARDEN
WHAT CAN DE DONE EVEN IN A VII,
LACE LOT.
ereat Possibilities OF a Backyard for
GrapeS, Berries and other small
and Large Fruits
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
The fruit garden comes well within the
range or household economics. An acre is
none too much for il, Yet II may be brought
"lthln the confines of an ordinary village
lot The tiniest back yard has space for at
least grapevine, dwarf fruit tree and
strawberry barrel. Set the vine SO il
may be trained over light trellis shading
the back door. Dig out hole for It at
least three feet square and board the hole
all around with rough lumber paint.3 vri,b
coal tar. This will last a long time ana
Keep the vine roots from damaging drains
or cellar walls. IL, every fall. whe. the san
Is We'll down, the roots are cut along the
board line with AK or sharp-edsed
SPADE. Such root pruning. IL properly
done, is an aid to health and fruitfulness
IN the corner farthest from the vine set
the Tree. The strawberry barrel needs All
the hght and sunshine possible IL must
De stout and well hooped. otherwis, in ia
not worth while. Begin by taking out one
mead. then bore the sides fun of tUr,-f,.t
hoies ana the bottom fun of half-Inch
ones Bury it half way, MI with very
rlcn earth, set some sort of drain in tha
Hludle, ana let the earth slope slightly to-
ward the drain. Plant a strong vim in
every hole and a row all around tba ton
a barTei prepared I'm May or June and Wen
TENDED, especially if planted with not
Brown vines, ought to bear next season.
Inc main trouble is to keep il well wa
tered - WI wa
In warm weather water it twice a day.
before sunrise and late in the afternoon.
Olce week give a copious watering of
Afula manure. Pick out all weeds and
seml-occasionally tighten the earth with =
garden trowel. Protect through the winter
with boushs of corn stalks. In s1,rinp "a
soon SCOT as the buds swell, water plenttfully.
ana until the berries are within A for;-
night OF rlpening give liquid manure twice
week. When the earliest fruit begins
turning white stop the manure water but
ucuple the supply of fresh. BY renewing
eartn ana vines every second year after
bearing time the barrel may be kent in
definitely in commission
A plot of ninety-five by fifty feet may he
haue haue 10 Yield an astonishing supply Of
1rult Given such dimension in the brick
shape luckily so common. run narrow paths
uCWn each side next the fences and plant
IN them grape vines with roots projecting
inward. For six inches around the stems
the earth should be kept light and loose,
ana In winter the whole root spread needs
good coat of coarse manure. Train the
vines up against the fence or on wires
stretched inside it. Keep the canes well
shortened, and summer prune from June
forward, rubbing off all but two or three
new shoots. In the fall cut back these new
canes to sound fully ripened wood
All along beside the end fence dig
trench four feet wide and five feet deep
the whole plot breadth. Board up the sides
StoutlE with well-tarred boa rds then fin
IN lrst with foot of stones brickbats. old
shoes, bones and general coarse litter Upon
top of that put six inches of rotted manure
ana cover with rich earth to within a foot
OF the top. Thus in spite Of the boarding
which will keep in the roots the trees viii
be in no danger of starving.
Plant three dwarf fruit trees in the ditch
spreading out their roots well. then filling
In the remaining foot with the finest. light
est earth. Tramp and pack firmly. heapiug
the earth little then mulch the whole
trench surface thickly as to keep down the
weeds Once in six months or so rake or
the mulch, dig up the whole space using a
three-tined fork. and never prying out the
roots. replace the mulch, thickening II as
necessary, and water whenever there is
even a hint of drouth. Fruit trees will al
ways be the better for a copious sunset
watering. also at midday or l o clock. If the
leaves droop perceptibly.
A good tree selection is pear, peach. a
plum or a cherry. Choose a very early pear
and very late peach. Very early peaches
seldom bear fruit enough te be worth while.
A medium early sort Will give more satis-
faction Keep down all suckers. Dwarf
trees being grated upon other than their
own roots, if alien shoots come up. the bud
ded trunk will die. Summer prune. which
means pinch back all shoots to a compact
symmetrical head flattish rather than
round, with no branch extending beyond the
trench. Every spring dig away the earth
around the trunks down to the crown OF
the root, examine for borers, and il found
well with strong soap suds the first warm
day. If insects attack the foliage, either
cover them, a tree at a time, with a sheet
or burn half pound of sulphur underneath
it. or spray well with some inSecticide.
Plants are very human, especially in
their sympathies and antipathies. Thus il
happens that blackberry vines do better
next orchard trees. even dwarf trees. than
any other among the small fruits. There
fore. set a double row. of blackberries next
the tree trench, planting the vines eight
cen inches apart in the row, and setting
them alternate. not =. opposite one to the
other. The rows should have a space OF
two feet between. Set posts in the space
ten feet apart. and four feet above ground.
Stretch two wires along them. and tie the
canes to the wires. Shorten in the tips
third every fall, unless a vigilant pinchng
through the summer has left them stocky
and branchy. Blackberry vines grow one
year and die the next after bearing Thus
it is necessary every fall to break out the
dead vines. and tie living ones in their
place. So trained they yield a third more
fruit, have a longer season. and take up
less space. They need a coat of manure
every fall, and to have the earth at their
roots kept light and clean throughout the
season of growth and bearing.