The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-01-10

IL
apples and other good cheer that
abounds there. l sat by the open fire
and enjoyed the society not only of the
Hope Farm man, but that of "the guide
wife" as well. Next morning after
breakfast we turned our eyes, as well
as our footsteps, toward the hills, from
whence he expects his help to come.
At the risk of abusing my hospitality,
want to tell the readers of The r. n.
Y just what is being done here in the
orchard line, believing that it will
help some in like situation, and that
all may Know how extensive is the
work. and so be more interested in
the outcome. / am sure the Hope
Farm man will not do this himself,
and trust the above reason may ap
peal to him strongly enough that he
| publish what | am writing. That it
may be clearly understood that 1 am
diSinterested witness. let me say that
| | am not believer i'm the ''Hitchings'
method for most men and on ordinary
tilIable land
| am surprised to find that on Hope
Farm there are about 5000 young trees
growing. 1900 apples, some of these
four years old. These I saw before
so 1 was able to make a comparison of
their growth and thriftiness with my
own of the same age. for instance,
under an entirely different system.
There are 300 pear trees. These do not
look as well as the apples and peaches.
| I do not think it good pear lard
| There are LOO peach trees The
trees four years set had borne fair
crop of fruit this year, very high in
color and of good quality These trees
had also made from six to eight inches
of new wood. and were full of fruit
buds There are about 60 acres in
the farm other than woodland The
best of this lies nearest the buildings.
and is good enough for anyone when
it is drained and cleared of stones.
as some of it has been. This can also
be irrigated from springs above at a
trifling cost Most of the land is on an
elevation more or less stony. and hard
to till: land that is accounted poor
Some of it has scrubby second
growth of wood on it. Part of this
has been and is being cleared off and
trees set in.
The fact that this land his lain
fallOw so long. and there has been
ooiit NcStldDlt HldJteE gone 10 decay.
which in turn has helped to make
soluble some of the mineral plant food.
surely gives conditions most favorable
for the healthy growth of trees. 1t
would be folly to attempt economically
to raise crops on such land. and es-
peclally foolish TO try to cultivate
trees on it. With trees set with both
root and top cut back there is album
dant plant food of the right kind for
the tree in the start. Then by dig
ging about the base and then mulch
ing with grass or other refuse mate
rial. the moisture is retained and more
plant food set free. and at a minimum
of cost. The intention is to apply fer
tlllZerS as the increased growth of the
trees demands it, More or less fer
tilizing must be done in any orchard
Here much of such expense is offset
by little cost for cultivation. One who
should view these orchards, compar-
ing them with those of equal age.
grown by heavy fertilization and good
cultivation in the best apple districts
of New York state, would at first
glance he disappointed. On closer ex-
animation one realizes that this is
not fair comparison. This land has
little value. These trees are grown
with little expense. Even though they
never make so large a growth. here is