The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-12-15
Orchard Problems

napers when we are ready to set our
trees. We must see to it that the
Ground is in good condition. Ii the
land is to be irrigated we must see
that it is properly smoothed. the
method of doing this need not be de-
scribed here. If the land is not In
GOOD shane when the trees are set
+ will he very difficult, if not impos-
sible. to put it into proper shape AFTER
wards If the land to be set is in
clined to be swampy it must be Drain
ed. Trees cannot thrive when their
roots stand in water.
If the triangular system is pursued
it is best to dig the holes as you pro-
coed. unless there is hardpan near
the surface. If that is the case the
hardpan should be broken up In some
way. The writer knows OF case
where the man laid off his orchard
and then. where each tree was to be
PLANTED. he drilled through the hard
pan. and with small battery and
a wire a few rods long he exploded a
small stick of dynamite at the depth
of three feet. That orchard made a
wonderful growth and the owner solo
his forty-acre orchard when 1t came
into bearing for $4,000. 1t pays 10
do things well and in nothing else is
this truer than in planting an orcharo.
When we are ready to set our trees
an important point to decide is now
to trim them. This applies both to
tbe roots and the top. There is
method commonly known as the
Stringfellow method that mas nao
some favor This consists in trimming
the roots all off to mere STUD anu
cutting the top back to one foot hlgh'
Mr. Stringfellow claims great thlngs
for his method, and it is believed that
with him it worked we'll The expert
ment stations took the matter up ana
gave if thorough sitting. The re-
suits are given in the annual report
of the experiment stations Tor the
wear 1903. In a few cases Strlngfet
lows method was fairly SUCCESSFUL
hut in most cases it proved quite un-
satisfactory. 1t cannot be recommend
cd EXCEPT in such localities as nave
heen nroyen to be adapted to THIS
method It's success depends on SOIL,
climate and water supply and only
where these are right should this
method be practiced. Any one may
trv This method on a small scale, but
till it's success is assured In MS TO-
calitv it would be unwise to use IL
extensively. Even where it is a COM
nlete success but little is gained over
the old method.
The old method referred to is to
trim the roots only as much as may
be necessary to remove all bruised
parts. In many cases it has been
quite satisfactory to even trim back
to five inches long The hole for the
roots must be large enough to receive
them and allow them to straighten
out in their natural position. Ii the
ground is compacted firmly 1T is well
to dig the hole much larger and es-
pecially much deeper than the tree
is to be set and then to fill it up to the
proper depth for the tree. 1t is pet
ter as a rule to set the tree from
two to four inches deeper than it stood
in the nursery.
How to trim the top at the time OF
setting a young tree has been mat
ter of much discussion. Some would
not trim it at ALL but this is almost
universally condemned. The expert
ment stations have given this subject
much attention. These experiments
show that it is best to cut off about
one-half of the top of the young tree.
If there are any side limbs below the
point of cutting let them remain at
least for a year or two. Whether the
whole top is to be cut off down to
given point or not depends on what
kind of top is to be grown. There are
two methods of shaping the top OF the
tree. One is known as the goblet
shape and the other as the pyramidal
shape. If the goblet shape is TO be
adopted then cut your tree Off where
you want your top to begin and then