The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-04-16
To Fruit Growers.


| he It will soon be time to begin work
me, aOn our trees, vines or pants, If we
ing mexpect to secure any extraordinary
lie wspecimens for exhibition this summer
OF Coz i. The trees or plants on which the
reacncOmmercial fertilizer was used last
his ospring will need early cultivation and
work stirring of the soil so that the air can
"Cact both upon soil aud fertilizer and
IOfy' prepare the material for plant growth.
SoThe air is the cheapest and best fertl.
DIM izer we eau get, and we secure this
the fertilizer whenever we cultivate or
up erate the soil. Frequent cultivation
1hei therefore gives the plants the most
shir fertilizer.
anu 2 Pruue the tree, vine or plant so
iati that there will o be too much nor too
var little growth, then there will not be
Dla 100 much sunlight admitted so as to
burn the fruit, nor too little so as to
cause the fruit to lose color. Prune in
the second place so as to thin out the
ca fruit buds, giving the plants only a
moderate load to carry ard thus secure
IN very large specimens, whether they be
= apples, peaches, cherries, grapes or
ni berries.
Spray the Trees, vines or plants be-
y fore they leaf out with either the liquid
I or dust spray, Cultivate, prune and
spray now at any time the weather
will permit. Do all these well and
thoroughly, and then repeat the spray
ing at blooming time and again two
weeks later and the fourth time still
TWO weeks later.
=. Thin the fruit. Thin it syste
matically and intelligently so that the
( fruit shall be well scattered over the
tree, vine or plant, giving each fruit
plenty of room for full development.
Every special tree or plant from which
we expect to secure Worlds Fair
fruits should be given special attention
IN ali these details, If we are to sue.
coed in growing any extraordinary
specimens.
The four foundation principles of
good fruits are cultivatIng, pruning,
spraying and thinning. On these four
principles hang all the law and profits
OF fruit growing Thin apples TO 10
inches apart pear and peaches to 6
inchesapart, cherry clusters to 5 inches
apart, plums to a inches apart, grapes
to single lunches on the branch unless
you wish TO secure a vine full of
clusters. Thin strawberries to three
stalks for each plant and three berries
10 each stem, raspberries and black.
berries to single clusters on each lat
eral and three to FIVE berries in each
cluster, reducing the laterals to one
third the usual number, except where
clusters are wanted. Currants and
gooseberries need at least three-fourtbs
OF the fruit removed. Mulching is a
very great help, indeed, in the perfec.
tion Of these small fruits, giving an
opportunity tor watering, ii need be.
To secure extraordinary specimens
Of all the tree fruits, girdle the trees
or branches about June LIST, taking
out a ring Of bark, one to two inches
vide entirely around the tree or
branch. For the grape, twist the
vine, or tie q wire tightly about it,
and for the currant and gooseberry do
the same. The raspberry and black
berry can best be increased in size BY
thinning thoroughly. II this girdling
Of the trees or branches is done, it will
check The wood growth and cause the
fruits to develope to a large size.
We should have a characteristic and q
complete exhibition Of each and all our
fruits, as they ripen, and this will be
our aim and our ambition during the
summer The other states expect
this Of Us, and will watch us closely to
zee that we keep up our reputation
and do our work well. We appeal,
tity for E2DOU, so tua
transaction brought him .