The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-04-22
Agriculture.
EARRY FARMERS TALKS.


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" :. we stated in a former article
va would give our opinion in
I'D TO the decrease in the produC-
s,s ~ of apples in the eastern part of
r,-tb Carolina, we herewith give
own experience and observation,
Ian that of others.
,,prE RAISING IN EASTERN COUNTIES
Coon after the Civil War you could
sad large orchards bearing nice ap-
:, These trees were mostly grown
home, some grated and some
lad from cuttings. We have seen
r,,a trees grown from a switch
.,n,sd deeply, leaving a few buds
,,va the ground. A hill was usually
Ltd and the timber out of and
DIV cleared so that the land could
I Moved. Sweet potatoes being
A. first crop planted, the land had
/, be very we'll grubbed so that the
Ma could be made up. By this
,nns the land was we'll subdued
4. first year. After this
- ORCHARD WAS PLANTED IN vARI
Gus CROPS
., msuured with the best manure
r,as on the farm. There was no
,,mmercial fertilizer used. II the
mwvss corn, it was planted early
inYrA aud always hilled up by the
toursh Of July. A farmer who failed
% bill bis corn by that date was con-
iisrsd far behind. Potatoes we're
blnssd in April and laid by in June.
Nation was planted in the orchard.
0alionally a crop of rye followed
q 0rn, the rye being sown early
Hy5vember.
Eu notice that the land was never
-f7ated after the first of July,
toh gave the trees a good chance
/ nature the wood. Land was
rly cultivated two years in sue
#ion. and Fhen it was done a
.hss1y application of manure of some
lind vas given the second year.
Euugs thought it was impossible
bh successful and crop the land
s7GT year. This kept large amount
Of hlmus in the soil, for the land
dnys would have a heavy growth
Of weeds and grass on it the year
Ehsn it was not cultivated. Some
tines a few calves and pigs were
PItured, but not enough to do any
serious damage.
It's our opinion that the lands be-
ing treated this way was the best for
he apple trees. The thorough oulti
Nsan given crops TO- day is not best
tG huit trees. The heavy use of
anuercial fertilizer We all know
Hquiokly exhaust the humus or
Vegetable matter in the soil. We
TOOK AN OLD APPLE ORCHARD
and gave the trees a good pruning,
ThitewsGhed the bodies with lime
and sulphur and then planted the
1nd in cotton, using commercial fer
fLlzsrs very heavily and the next
Tear had nice crop of apples. We
planted cotton in it for two or three
!sara in succession, using guano and
ialnit freely, and she fourth year
ne trees nearly all died. We had
Ome young trees and they soon died
also.
NJ. F. on the other hand, had an
|'aard that he planted in sweetpo-
~"e' nearly every year and ma
4ua them with the best stable ma
-S'. He had heavy crop of ap-
p% s7ery year. He had them when
a farmers failed. After he died,
= and was planted in cotton and
-" 200 pounds of guano applied to
~ acre, with tha result of dead
% Other farmers have done the
s thing. The best agricultural
0sers advise
CULTIVATION AFTER THE FIRST OF
JULY.
,u7 Introduction Of new trees
districts which have diseases
>'ug the trees has helped TO de
our orchards. Farms being
Ss~Stsd by woods kept diseases
\. Spreading, but since the timber
ven cut away and fields join,
y, - N nothing to prevent wind and
,o@ things from carrying any
- from orchard TO orchard.
Nsss.t ~ and should be kept full of
a9Ie matter and the trees
h 'ou u every year thoroughly, if
M. success with apples or other
>"S expected.
HON., HARRY FARMER.
vi 'aULQ b0n ~ NJ ~