Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1903-07-03
Orchard Treatment


orchards. four times out of five
means nothing more nor less thai
neglected orchards. for trees OF th'
fruit-bearing class grow old rapid.
when ill-treated Tne first point r
consider Is the common custom
treating fruitbearing trees as II the.
we're ordinary forest trees. withor
my needs In the line Of soil cultiya
ion. There are many reasons VIII
orchards should be cultivated quite
he same as annual crops. The sol
leeds opening up. that air and sur
shire may penetrate to some depth
slso weeds and grass use water need
ID BY tle trees, TO say nothing of tn
crtllizer they consume. Perhaps thu
mcst Important point In this connec
ion Is the very matter OF waite
consumption. A soil thoroughly krok
up by tillage holds water like
sponge end viii dsaw 1t from grea
depths; now. II KEPT free OF weeds
and the top two or three inches Il
kept thoroughly pulverized by means
OF a hne-toothed harrow, an eartl
mulch Is obtained which is every Bit
as good as a mulch of chopped straw
Or grass clippings. 1t prevents the
soil water from loss from surface
evaporation, and as the trees are con
tinually using the water within reach
OF Its roots from every direction
about the tree there is a flow through
the soil towards these roots, but for
the earth mulch, this flow would be
towards the surface, where the winds
would carry 1t OF. 1t is not alone
the loss OF water to be guarded
against. This soil water carries In
solution more or less plant food, and
when 1t Is drawn to the tree by
means OF what might be called root
suction, the fertilizer goes with It, II
the water is lost by surface evapora-
ton, this plant food does not reach
the tree. 1t is important to note, how
ever that bare soil must be kept
pulverized on the surface. II 1t is
allowed to bake and form a crust,
surface loss of water commences at |
once. In short, the orchard, If 1t Is |
expected to do good work, must be |
cultivated quite as thoroughly as 3
field of corn.
The question of plant foods for
has been neglected fully as
much as tillage, though for less
cause. as we all know now that plants
must be fed regularly to make useful
growth. Annual crops remove plant
food ingredients from the soil we all
az Omit buf manu- ~ nc ID not rara~d |
'ruit trees in the same light. Trees
make more or less annual growth,
both above and below the ground,
also the leaves and blossoms form a
very respectable weight of material,
III OF which is comparatively very
'ich in potash and phosphates. To
hese must be added the fruit crop,
which also needs very considerable
amount OF plant food The fruit is
What we want, and 1t is the fruit
which takes It's supply of plant food
asst. Between the new wood and root
'rowth, blossoms and leaves, and the
rop OF fruit, the yearly needs of an
richard In plant food is every bit as
arge, If not larger, than grain crops
I the more exhausting kind. There
ore, II an annual grain crop needs
liant food, 1t Is just as certain that
richards on the same soil also need /,
ianuring. There is, however. diff
srence in the plant food needs of a
rain crop and fruit crop. To grow
'uit also a crop OF leaves and wood
! the shape of branches, roots, etc.
ow, leaves are rich In potash and
the wood, etc. is higher
potash than In phosphates, and the :,
uit shows many pounds of potash
} every pound OF phosphoric acid
he natural conclusion is, therefore.
lat fruit manuring is largely :
after of mineral manures,-potash =
I'd phosphates. :,
We have now shown that plant :
cd should be used, the next point =
how much and what kind Manures =
Oh in ammonia tnitrogen) may be ~
right for grain, but they will not
} for fruit,--make too much leaf :
I'd green wood growth. The plant 1t. =
II suggests potash and phosphates. .
may be obtained as or :,
nary acid phosphate, bone meal or :
ne tankage; potash as German pot .
h salts. such as kainit or muriate. =
, not trust too much to fertilizer of -
gh sounding name only. With us =
ne and tankage products are cheap. :;
a mixed fertilizer is apt to con- =
In ammonia and phosphorus. but .,
ny little potash. There is not any :,
fash to speak OF In bone or tank :.
e. Look at the analysis. and see -
at the potash (actual potash) is -
least as high as the phosphoric ),
Id. II II Is not possible to get a :,
rtilizer satisfactory, use per acre =