The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-11-23


to the trees, not only because there is
better opportunity for so doing. but
also because the pruning OF the trees
and the removal OF diseased portions
can be done less hurriedly than in the
spring. Neglecting the orchard is the
cause of trees being Improbable, but
where farmers have recognized the or
ohards as sources Of profit. and regard
ed the trees as something more than
ornaments. or as occupying the ground
from custom. the returns nave been
satisfactory. The land used for the
orchard Is frequently forced to bear
two crops the year, one OF grain and
one OF fruit, the latter crop coming be-
cause 1t is natural for trees to attempt
TO bear fruit. even under unfavorable
circumstances, while the grain was in
tended for market When land is thus
taxed 1t win be but few years before
II is exhausted. as 1t Is better to cut
the trees down and give the land who'll
ly to grain than to leave the trees to
reduce the grain yield and at the same
time produce only unmarketable fruit.
Grain and fruit crops ON the same
land remove the fertilizing materials
of the soil very rapidly; yet farmers
seldom apply manure on orchard land,
Preferring to use it on other fields. The
orchard must take care of itself be-
coming The prey OF insects and dis
cases. and the trees make but little
growth. or die, when they could, with
care, be made to produce good paying
crops at less cost for labor than grain.
A crop of grain or grass may be
taken from the land occasionally, but
II requires time to establish an or
ehard; hence it is serious mistake to
neglect trees and allow them to become
diseased when the labor of making an
orchard ard the loss of time waiting
for the trees to reach the bearing
stage is considered. When an orchard
has become overrun with weeds, or the
trees show signs of decay, the first
work Should be to cut away all dead
or diseased limbs and then pillow the
ground, applying 10 bushels of lime per
acre. or Is bushels OF wood ashes, har-
rowing the land Work in an orchard
K difficult, on account of the roots.
but 1t should be plowed as well as
possible, So as to break up the hard
surface sell Rye or crimson clover
should then be seeded, if in the fall,
and the ground plowed again In the
spring, turning the rye under. Cow
as may then be sowed on the ground
after danger of frost is over, and If
desired the cow peas may be fed OFF
hy sheep. as the animals will return a
large proportion of the crop to the soil
as manure With the application OF
manure Or fertilizer the orchard may
then be seeded to clover, but no or
chard should be kept permanently in
81 ass. The proper plan is to plow the
clever tor any grass crop under. and
then grow late potatoes, cabbages or
some other crop that Is cultivated be-
tween the rows and which requires
manuring. Peach trees thrive best
when eiven clean cultivation. like corn,
a crop of any kline sometimes doing
harm, Clean cultivation, with mulch
crop. such as rye. sowed in the fall
and turned under in the spring, is usu-
ally benehclal.
Diseases sometimes almost imper-
oeptibly spread in winter No mat
ter how careful the grower may be he
will frequently leave fallen fruit, dead
grass. leaves or any other refuse ma
terials around the trees in winter. They
are the vehicles OF germs. and as the
winds scatter light substances to other
locations the failure TO clean away
the refuse from a single infected tree
may cause the spread of disease over
the entire orchard. 1t is useless to cut
away dead limbs and burn them ii the
spores of fungus diseases can be scat
tered broadcast by materials that
could easily be cleared up and in a
snort time. Work during the winter
can be done to good advantage in de-
stroying the borers. and the eggs OF the
millers which produce worms can be
cleared from the trees; in fact every
tree will be benefited by scraping and
washing with q strong solution of lye
while painting the trees in winter with
a
remedy for the scale insect The trees
OF an orchard usually show the effects
OF good treatment. The peach. which
sometimes appears to suceumb to no
cause, will respond TO severe pruning
and take on new life. Many trees, es-
pecially those in old orchards. are just
as they We're when first set out, never
having been trimmed. They can be
improved by pruning. but il should be
done judlciously, and not by going into
the orchard with an ak and saw to cut
away the tree indiscriminately. Or
chards that have never paid dollar
can be made to give good profits il the
same labor is given them as is be-
slowed on grain crops.-Philadelphia
Record