The Elbert County tribune., 1906-08-09
STARTING AN ORCHARD ON
THE FARM.

MIR. o. r. Smith, of South Dakota
writes: Il would like to ask you fol
little information. l am just open
| ing out new farm. Have had my
| ground plowed and cropped one year
! expect to do my first planting in the
spring. Would you advise the plant
| ing of an orchard close to the house
where the ground slopes to the south
or ought it to be planted on the high
est ground on the farm. irrespective OF
| location? Does the slope or elevation
have anything to do with what they
call sun scald, or the effects of spring
| fres.s? Would you plant windbiSak
arccnd the orchard? If so, on wnat
| side. and what kind of trees would
you use? Do you consider close plant
ing advisable in the orchard, with the
expectation of cutting out when they
crowd
In reply to the inquiry, will say that
| the site of the farmers orchard is.
as rule, near the house and prob
ably will be in the future. There are
| many advantages in having it there
which offset the reasons why 1t should
not be. The man who makes fruit
growing his main business should con-
slider well before deciding where he
will plant his trees, so that good and
profitable returns may be obtained.
| There has been much debate in recent
years in state horticultural meetings
and institutes as to what slope is best
| situated for the apple orchard. The
trees planted on southern or south
western slope are more subject to
sunscald there than if they are planted
on northern or eastern one; on the
other hand, it has been proven that in
very severe winter trees suffer more
| from root-killing on the northern slope,
the intensity of the frost being great
er. AS sunscald probably causes the
| death of more trees than root-killing,
and as the latter can be protected to
large extent by growing clover crops,
we would recommend northern or
eastern slope as best.
All practical farmers and fruit
| growers know that spring frosts are
very local. even occurring on one part
| of farm and not on the other, and
as such late freezing sometimes means
great loss, especially if it should oc-
cur at blooming period. it is essential
and important to avoid using a site
| that is low when one of higher alti-
tude can be procured near by. Gen
orally speaking, the apple trees grow
well in almost any kind of soil, II it
| is thoroughly drained. 1t is this Won
derful adaptability of the apple which
| has caused it to be planted on the
many varied soils we have in our
| state, but we are confident that the
| better the soil the better the results
| will be. A good orchard soil is one
that is abundantly supplied with plant
food, rich in humus, while sandy, loose
soil is generally lacking in this. To
bring it up to the requirements of the
tree, lots of artificial fertilizer or
barnyard manure must be used.
The preparation of the land before
| planting has not had the attention 1t
deserves by our farmers. 1t very often
| happens that the farmer or fruit grow
| er instantly decides to plant an or
| chard, no previous thought or prep
aration being given to the matter, or
If there had. nothing was done to get
the land into the proper condition for
| the young trees. There Is no future
| preparation or care that will make up
for the loss sustained. We believe
| that all orchard land should be plowed
deeply in the fall IL possible, and sub
soiled. This prepares tbs soil so that
the roots can easily penetrate deeper,
| and as the soil is broken, makes de-
| pository for the elements of nutrition.
The time to plant an orchard in this
country is invariably in the spring,
| although trees may in occasional sea
sons be planted out in the autumn.
! But it is dangerous practice and one
that should be abandoned. The dis
tance apart that apple trees should
| be planted will vary according to the
| varieties used and the land at the
| planters disposal. That trees may
thrive and produce fruit OF good size
and quality. they require an abund.
ance of sun, light and air, and they
cannot obtain this If planted closely
| together. There is but ono argument
| in support OF close planting and that
| is the protection that trees afford each
| other. but to obviate this. we recon-
mend the planting of low-top trees so
| that the stems may be shaded. The
| great mistake in the past in the or
chards of Iowa or the northwest have
lsen that they are planted too close,