Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-20
~ YOUNG Peach Orchard.

Southern Fruit and Truck Grower.
In August and September. 1899. began
prOpagating some peach trees for the pur-
pose Of setting new orchard. I inserted
buds into young seedlings which sprouted
from the seed I'm the spring of that year
In January following the trees were dug
up and removed to another plantation.
where they were to be planted in orchard
rows. But circumstances prevented their
being set Immediately, so they were heel
ed I'm during the winter and set out in
March, 1900.
The rows were laid of Is by IS feet and
a strip feet wide broken with a turn
pillow. followed by a subsOil for each row.
Then holes were opened at each check in
the water furrow, 10 to u inches deep and
about IS inches i'm diameter and filled in
with top soil. well mixed with stable ma
nure 10 the proper depth for setting the
trees.
All mutilated. roots were pruned off by
a slanting cut from the under side maxi
ing the cut part face downward. In set
ting the trees. the roots were spread as
near TO their natural position as possible
ard covered with fine top soil, working
IL well in among the roots and tramped
down with foot. When the holes were
about half filed with soil another shovel
full Of manure was scattered I'm the holes
above the roots and covered with soil.
and everything packed down with a maui.
A basin like depression 20 inches In width
was left around each tree to catch and
hold water during spring showers. till the
roots could get firm hold upon the soil.
When the buds were we'll started I'm the
spring the tops OF the seedlings were
sawed or a quarter of an inch above the
buds.
The orchard site is the crest OF a high
ridge and the soil IS what might be called
a half red soil. slightly mixed with sand.
and is undertake with firm red clay sub
soil.
The orchard was planted in corn and
COW peas the first year and cultivated all
summer and that season the trees attain
ed a height OF from 1-2 20 10 feet and
the trunks an inch in diameter. Last
spring. Just one year from the time the
trees started from the bud. they bloomed
freely and some OF them ripened their
fruit. Last winter the orchard had a lib
eral application Of stable manure and was
again planted to corn and peas and we'll
cultivated TIL the corn was laid by.
EOne OF the trees are now over feet
iH height and the trunks as thick as a.
mans wrist and the tops have a spread Of
2 feet
Next February the last summers
growth viii be cut back with a view TO
giving the trees broad, umbrella shaped
head and the struggling branches that
extend out around the sides will be kept
clipped of so as to give a uniform shape
TO the head and also to make the limbs
stout and stocky and force out numerous
fruiting spurs. The orchard having been
well manured in the past I shall not use
any more highly ammoniated manures for
IT least one year. But will scatter ashes
around the trees the coming winter to
furnish potash for next springs crop.
Later on will apply other manures as the
trees require.
=
to plant corn I'm the orchard. but will con-
tinue the cultivation and planting Of peas
or other legumes TO furnish humus and
nitrogen in the soil.