Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-25
VALUE OF INQUIRY DEPT.

The most important and useful depart
,ment OF an agricultural paper Is that de-
partment devoted to the publication OF
letters OF inquiry from subscribers seeking
information on various subjects and the
replies thereto by the agricultural editor.
II the editor does well his part and. by
,painstaking care. endeavOrs 10 give cor
rect and practical replies TO all inquiries
Submitted. the inquiry department be-
comes a source OF great benefit to every
subscriber OF the paper. Thousands OF in
qufries and answers are published in the
icourse OF a year. covering in detail nearly
every department OF the field. farm and
igarden- II fle OF these inquiries and an
.swers IS properly kept II becomes in time
a valuable reference guide on many occa-
sfons when the farmer Is in doubt as TO
how best 10 act in emergencies or laying
out his plans for certain crops. The editor,
therefore. OF this paper has deeper inter-
lest IN building up the Inquiry Department
OF this paper. and believes that greater
good can be accomplished through that
medium OF the paper than viii be effected
through the advice and discussions given
on general subjects covering the regular
Semi-Weekly articles
II Is for this reason particularly that I
have 50 often invited the subscribers Of
this paper 10 send in their inquiries and
write short articles for publication about
the different departments OF farm work in
which they are engaged The advice and
experiences OF the many are more valuable
and covers a wider field OF subjects in
,shorter period OF time than can result
from the observations and experiences Of
a single writer. The subscribers OF this
paper are earnestly requested. therefore.
70 aid me In the work OF extending and
making our inquiry department as fun
and complete as IL should be. Every in
iquiry mailed TO my address will receive
that prompt care and attention which the
subscriber desires as TO it's publication
with as full practical answers as possible.
Preparing for Peach Trees.
The following letter OF inquiry con-
Germs a subject OF great Importance TO.
many sections of this state just now,
when so much attention is being turned
TO the production OF fruit
&C. A. B., MiIlican, Ca. September 10
1e02." Please advise through the Semi
Weekly Journal when is the best time
TO plant peach seed, fail or spring. for
purpose OF budding with liberia buds?
What sort OF lano they should be planted
on, also how many. seed win be required
10 realize about 500 trees in number or
bushels OF seed? After budding TO set
out whether they should be MANFRED or
fertiliEed. and what IS the best sort to
user"
How far the rows should be apart and
how far apart the seed should be in the
row. and how is the best way TO pre-
pare the land2 Also the usual price per
bushel for peach seed and II IT viii dam
anne three OF four year old liberia trees
TO take buds on for budding purposes?''
Replying 10 the above inquiry. 1 would
say first. that lie best time TO plant
peach seed IS IN the fall OF the year.
There is an old saying that peach seed
must lie in the ground through one
Christmas before they viii terminate. The
cause OF this Is that III seed are stored
until spring the covering OF the nut be-
comes 50 hard that IL takes long time
10 soften Up after it is placed in the
ground
The ground into which the seed are to
be planted should be nicely plOwed and
laid on into rows at least two feet apart.
To get the number Of young trees wanted,
say 5000 provided all the seed are good
and terminate. lay OF twenty rows. 30
feet long. two feet wide and drop one
seed every eight inches N the drill The
planting can be done either now or not
later than October. Cover the seed light
~, with not more than two inches Of
soil The best stands obtained are us
uaIly under peach trees. where the seed
faII and are lightly covered by winter
rains or are pressed in the soft earth
about the trees by a persons foot
You might plant a few more rows than
those stated in order TO be assured of
the 500 young plants wanted. II the
land IN which the seed are planted IS
fertile. there is no need 10 fertilize until
the young trees have been budded and
transferred 20 the orchard. II the land
Is light you might distribute in the fur
row a complete fertilizer at the rate iof
so pounds per acre. carefully mixing the
fertilizer in the soil with a scooter before
dropping the seed. Good. sound seed
ought 70 be secured at from IS cents TO
$50 per bushel for the purposes wanted.
/ should not think Il would damage four
year old trees 20 remove some OF the
buds. the best way being 10 take OF a