Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-10
GOOD PROFIT in FRUIT
Too Many Good Farmers Neglect this
Very Important Feature Of the
Operations.
tBy W. r. Gilbert.s
IN HBRB is always a great demand
for good specimens of the finer

i'm HDRD is always q great demand
| | for good specimens of the finer
Varieties of apples. pears and
plums, having eelef and flavor, end
some of the growers use every endeav-
or to supply fruit of this kind. If
growers will cultivate the best kinds Of
fruit with skill and energy and have
! 1T picked carefully and systematically
graded for market and packed we'll.
they need not be afraid of bad
market. Such precautions will always
provide market.
Pruning fruit trees Is perhaps one of
the most important features of fruit
growing. vast amount of damage
can be done by the injudicious use of
the knife and trees and bushes are
often robbed Of their early promise ami
fruitfulness by earelessness. neglect
and ignorance in this operation.
A tree should be pruned according to
Its growth and constitution and the
same law applies equally Is well to
each sheet.
One object in pruning Is to obtain
a well-balanced and shapely trees ana
the primer must cut according to his
idea Of the shape he wishes. or for the
best typical shape.
Secondly the branches must be left
fairly far apart to introduce light. air
and sunshine through the tree and to
cause full development of fruit buds
and fruit spurs by these means. Thu
free circulation of air is Of great Inn
portance for the ripening of wood and
spurs and also to increase fertilization
at the time of poisoning.
tree crowded with limbs and
branches is also a source of an
noyance at picking time. Another
object in pruning Is to increase and
stimulate the growth of tho tree and
! to force It to become a tree as quickly
t as possible and for this reason a long,
! robust growth is only shortened
) whereas weak and puny shoot is cut
hard to stimulate vigor.
1t must not Ie assumed that 1t rs
imperative to cut every tree in any
circumstance. Some trees when they
get fair size make quantity Of wood
and growth without producing fruitlns
spurs and buds end to cut these rank
growths wou only excite the growth
to greater degree.
The proper course in such case is
to leave the tree uncut and then 1t will
naturally form fruiting wood.
The method Of cutting each shoot
must also be studied. An incision made
half an inch above the bud causes the
new shoot to grow out in the shape
of bow from the bud, so that If the
tree requires opening or xtending this
cut Is useful.
An incison below the bud and
slantfng up to the bud is bad as the
bud having no norrishment produces a
puny and weekly shoot and the buds
below grow strongly. either into the
tree, which Is to be avoided. or one
bud pushes out below the weakly one
and the shoot has to be cut back to this
strong bud-a me of treatment
which causes loss of wood and growth
, The square cut, an incision leve
with the bud is corr It one and will
produce an upright growth.
That all fruit should be CAREFUL.
n graded and packed is an axiom mos
frequently neglected lin practice. AL
n though considerable advance has beer
q made in this respect, stimulated M
9 doubt by the advice of statesmen. ther.
r is still room in many instances for i'm
8 provement.
o A few small or specked apples, O.
bruised pears, or plums lacking in ap
q Ipearance and color will ruin the valu
9 of whole package and fruit thrown
" together just as 1t Is picked return
only half the price of a consignme en-
o which Is dispatched tastefully and con
y lsistently.
: An attractive and we'll packed con
signment of fruit will often fetch twic
g the price of one slovenly and indiffer
!" antly packed. Not taking into accoun
= the choicest fruit which may be dec
d Grated with and packed in Iaried fan
n cy papers, shavings ard cotton WOO
the ordinary paper of commerce
p suitable. but thicker paper : require
r. for apples and pears to prevent bruis
ing.
n Newspapers answer admirably TO
% packing purposes. Wood wool spec
l. tally prepared in several qualitie
h may be obtained at a reasonable price
Fruit growers are frequentl. urged t
IT improve their packages, but there ar
n. difficulties which must be surmountct
d The grower must discover the ran
II of the public and conform to thei
j. tastes and predictions. Instead c
q sending all his fruit to one market h
lie must use his ingenuity and energy |
Is |dispatching his fruit where it is mos
acceptible and profitabl
d In one great market there may be
)" superiority and in another an In stuff
cient supply of a certain kind of frui
lit is the growers business 20 find OF
these diversities and to market h
wares accordingly and he can do tn
by the aid of the telegraph and til
telephone.
A grower should from time to tin
attend the different markets not on
to learn the conditions in which h
own fruit arrives, but to obtain info,
nation and hints for his future guie
ance and benefit.
N NOTES OF THE HOG LOT.