The Green Forest tribune., 1903-02-21
S34Oo CLEARED INA YEARS
Off a 25- Peach Orchard in Franklin County, Ark.

A. w. Poole of Ozark submits the following on the subject of |"Seting and Growing Peach Trees" to the Batesville Guard: It is strange, but true, that there is found in north central and northwest Arkansas such an ideal climate for this industry, and where there are many thous- ands of acres of land on which a man with his mule and blow can : s,p t realize more than fifty cents Fpsr day when planted in corn, wheat or cotton, land that cannot be cashed for S2.50 per acre, but which would be cheap at $50.00
 per acre if planted in peach trees. Let me tell you what l did. l
 raised the value of 1O7 bales of cotton on % acres of this poor land in 1902. It was so poor that 10 and 15 bushels of corn was all it would grow per acre. You may be ready to say a big one.' Let us submit evidence. Four years ago last spring planted this land in one year old peach trees. Af- ter planting 1 cultivated them ] well and last year, 1902, the fruit gathered from these peach trees brought in the market, gross re- .ceipts, S7, 300, and they netted me S3,400.
 This poor land put in peach trees of the proper varieties and attended to as they should be, and let me say here that it will not cost half as much per acre to cultivate peach trees as it does to cultivate cotton which net profits kare ten times as large will net S75
 Eo as high as S55O per acre every three years out of five, as after they are three or four years old,
 as sure as the sun gives light and heat. #t
 Some will say they know noth- ing about the peach business, and others will claim that if every body goes into it there will be an over production. That has been the cry for the past forty years and today the price of all fruits are *higher than they were century kago. Why is this? Simply the demand is greater.
 < The people of America, as in dividuals, use twenty times as much fruit now as they did forty years ago. The increase in pop ulation and demand is multiply ling. The people in the cities kmust be fed by the farmers and &fruit growers.
 Now, I will tell you how I pro- sceed to grow peach orchard. SThe ground should be we'll pre- Fpared before setting trees. In Splanting begin at the south side, keight feet from the fence or line, mark off east and west two rows 18 feet apart and one row 10, keeping up this ratio until all Eyour land is laid off. When this Ais done begin four feet from the
 ipeQn the east or west side and ~ fN off north and south every aisht feet. In planting set trees
 vast and west, putting tree at 8every other cross check. This EwRl leave the trees in shape to 8ploW in almost any direction, and &eveFy fourth row will be wide 8enough to drive through with a *wagon for gathering fruit, pick fng two rows at a time on each
 eide. This plan will also enable 22pne to get to the wagon without Zgoing around the trees. N Nice one year old trees from
 pne and one half to four feet high
 hre the kind of stock prepare for
 planting. All roots should be
 pruned off. None longer than &pne or two inches should be left
 Except the tap root. Small hair oots should be cut back so as to
 pave sufficient strength not to
 llow the soil to bend them. The rec should be put in the ground Gpne or two inches deeper than it
 tood before moving. Be sure to
 hake the tree we'll go as to get I4he dirt we'll between the roots
 Ind pack the soil we'll by tramp @g. Trim top to one smooth
 wltch, cutting off to one foot &bOve the ground. cultivate thor