American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1907-12-14
Fruit Growing.

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He was followed by A. Mcpherson.
The gentlemen agreed on general mat
tiers, but disagreed on special features.
their experience having been acquired
in different states where conditions
were more or less al variance.
In planting an orchard Mr.. Alvord
said 10 cut off every bruised or unsonnd
root, for If left To grow some limb,
nurtured by it, would sooner or later
die. The roots should be cut down.
ward, as sootiets would start from the
cut surface, and their nature was TO
grow downward. He would cut back
the tree, and encourage growth of
roots rather than branches. Never
plant a tree with crotch or fork.
Better to destroy il at the outset rather
than waste several years in its develop
men, only To have IL break down under
the strain of its first heavy fruit crop.
In trimming. develop wide, bushy
tree. rather than tall one.
He preferred planting trees rather
than CRAFTS. Mr. Alvord will plant 50
acres 10 orchard on his land near Aber-
deem. This coming spring he will set
out 1900 worth of trees, using healthy
trees from three TO FIVE feet high.
First he will trim the roots, and then
trim the top 10 conform 10 the roots,
even il |, is necessary TO cut nearly all
the trunk away Never in trimming.
have two limbs opposite each other. for
they will eventually form crotch.
The soil for an orchard should be In
the finest possible condition, plowed,
diseed. narrowed, and leyeled with
grea, care. In planting trees. lean to
the southwest. the prevailing direction
from which the wind comes, and also as
a protection against the fierce rays of
the sun.
i Don't drown the trees with water,
but work the ground every week.
Never plant anything nearer than foui
fee, To tree. and never, under any
consideration, ne said. SOW oats in ar
orchard. Ar the trees grow Older. en-
large the circle around the tree ii
which nothing is allowed to grow. ant
let the tree have the benefit of all ther,
is in the soil.
Mr.. Alvord said he would put hi
trees a2 feet apart, and plant potatoes
, or vegetables between the rows. cult
waiting to a dust mulch and irrigstinl
. sparingly.
After the first year he recommends
irrigatine once in the spring. eutivat
, ing with dust mulch. and Just befor
freezing weather in the fall. irriRatint
thoroughly. giving the soil enoug
moisture to guard against dry winte
freezing.
. For his commercial orchard he Wi
. have Black Twig. Gano, Greening an
Jonathan. For family use he will hav
several other varieties. He has order
cd 1900 soft maple, buttcrnut. buckley
and walnut trees for windbrake.
He recommended the following;
Plant two inches deeper than th
tree grew in the nursery.
Get trees from home nurseries If po:
sible.
In irrigating. keep water from touci
ing the trees. by having bitches at leas
two feet distance.
Pick off blossoms from apple trees I
least for two years following the
planting.
Prunc trees to grow low.
Never stop cultivating young o
chard. and never allow weeds or an
thing to grow near a tree.
Mr.. Mcpherson followed Mr. Alvol
in a talk of half an hour that held Il
I attention of the audience rooted. l
placed great stress upon the necessi
/ In this locality of locating the air Gu
rents before planting commercial 6
charis. On the Twin Falls tract, wi
records kept under Mr.. Mcpherson
direction. every frost belt has be
located. and it is known where orchar
may be planted with the certainty
securing returns, and where their plaI
ing is hazardous. The difference
temperature of two or three degrees,
a little circulation of the atmosphel
may make the difference between $,
n cess and failure. For instance, in
belt mile or two wide, it may be ss
to plant AN orchard anywhere, whil'
/ belt of equal width adjoining it may I
be adapted to fruit growing. The
fore, he argued, the only safe way "
to locate the frost belts before ind
criminate planting Of orchards result
He urged that this was not essenta
fruit country. but that fruit growi
here was part of successful farmi'
II He preferred yearling tree to .
ii other In planting he would dig h