Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1908-01-24
FRUIT OF THE FOOT HILLS.
Something Practical About Starting a
Dry Farm Orchard.

1u0 IOJlOWlnS arClCl0 Is WFlCCeu IN
the interests of the farm orchard-not
only for the Black Hills country, but
for good part of the country sur
roudiDgs. Comparatively few farmers
in this part of the country raise their
own fruit, not because it cannot be
grown great deal cheaper than bought,
but for various reasons, the chief one
being the idea that fruit cannot be sue
cessfully grown without irrigation.
All obstacles may be overcome by study
ing the nature of the country and COM
plying with natures laws.
will offer few suggestions for a
farm orchard, based on an experience
of nineteen years. residence in Fall
River county, ten years of which have
been interested in fruit growing. One
half acre of ground will grow enough
fruit for the average family. I would
select twenty-five apple trees ahout as
follows: 3 Yellow Transparent, 9
Duchess, 4 Hibernal, 2 Northwestern
Greening, 3 Ben Davis, 8 Wealthy, and
four crabs, 9 Whitney aud 2 Florence
The Hibernal apple, while of rather
poor quality, is good bearer, and the
tree is the healthiest ana hardest we
have. The Wealthy is the best all round
apple l know OF, that will stand this
climate, but is injured by some of our
test winters, especially when young.
Plant trees thirty feet apart each
way. Plow ground in sections, so as to
make dead furrow where each row of
trees will be and make an extra round
with plow in dead furrow SO as to loos-
en- the subsoil. When digging the
holes, if the land is sloping, throw the
dirt on lower side, filling up the furrow.
This leaves basin around the tree,
which holds water when there are
heavy rains. When filling in around
the tree, do not use any of the sub
soil, but fill with surface dirt. Where
there is any hardpan, the holes should
be dug extra large and deep, then filled
some with surface soil before planting
the trees. The basins around the tree 8
should be allowed to fill in gradually,
probably taking five or six years be-
fore the surface is level. Plant small
trees. Two-year- old trees are plenty
large enough, and good thrifty year
lings are better still and will make
larger, healthier and better trees in
from five to eight years, than 3-year-
olds planted at the same time.
Plant six or eight cherry trees, and
say six plums. mainly the Cheney.
The Cheney plum tree bears plums
which is something many of the other
sorts don't do. They are also early
and of good quality. Then for small
fruits, suggest 26 raspberry plants of
the Cumberland, and a new red rasp-
berry called the Sunbeam, originated
by Prof. Hanson, of the Experiment
station at Brookings, and which seems
to be able to stand our winters with.
out cover; % currants of the Fay's
Prolific and Wilder varieties. They
do not yield as heavily as some sorts
but are large and fine. Also II goose
berry plants of the Downing anc
Chautauqua varieties. Plant the small
fruits in rows in center of apple tree
rows, aud from four to six feet apar,
in the row. (These should be removed
within few years, when the apple
trees attain sufficient age to require
all the moisture.)
The small fruits will bear fair crop
in from two to three years, and th'
apple trees will supply the averag
family with all the apples they wan
in from five to eight years. While th'
orchard is young, some garden stuf
may be raised between the rows, bn
never plant anything close to the tree
or bushes, and never allow any weeds
to grow
One of the greatest mistakes made
in this dry western country is by plant
ing too close, not only of trees, but O.
grains and vegetables. A plant need:
a certain amount of moisture according
to its size and nature. SO il there il
little rainfall, it stands to reason tina
the plant must have more surface t,
draw from. OF courss, we have we
years, but we must always plant SO a
to be ready for dry season. The
rthe next secret of success in q dr.
country is cultivation. Cultivate afte
every rain whether there are weeds o.
not. The only time to cease cultivs
tion in dry country is when th
ground is frozen. Apply manure aroun
trees on surface as q mulch, but neve
put manure in holes when planting
Cultivate manure into ground eac
/, season. Apply all wood ashes frol
!. the stoves, around trunks of trees.
Will it pay? Well, the orchard
the biggest paying proposition on th
farm when thoroughly tended, but
J. one of the most expensive when onl
S taken care of in half hearted wa,
John Robertson, in Dakota Farm
/ y er.