Semi-weekly herald., 1908-06-18

the night b also considered natura
protection. Other conditions be1nl
equal orchards near large streams
are generally considered more ffs,
from late frosts- Low lands which
are surrounded IN the greater part b,
higher lands. unless frequented BY
night breezes, are considered unde
sirable locations. as We say frost set
ties In such places. Altitude is moi
always reliable guide to 90 BY IN
choosing fruit sections. We could
mention cases where localities at N
elevation of 5000 feet are more 70.
liable fruit sections than those 1000
feet lower. The length Of the season
more than the altitude determines
whether fruit may b grown, especial.
| ly apples and pears.
We have good and poor orchard
lands and there is much to be gained
in the proper selection OF our orchard
soils. In most parts Of Colorado we
consider our sage brush land the most
desirable orchard soil. These soils
are red or gray sandy loans. In some
parts of Colorado orchards are grown
on heavy soil. and they are grown
quite successfully but the difficulty
in handling such soil Is an arEu-
ment In favor of the sander soil.
While the red mesa soil L. one Of the
best foundations for an orchard soil
some Of our mesas are rendered use
less for orchard purposes by a marty
subsoil which comes very near the
surface, 1t is impossible to develop q
long lived orchard on such land.
II possible in selecting land for the
young orchard choose land which has
been previously cultivated and pre-.
ferably land that has been in alfalfa.
Orchards may be grown on raw land
but not as satisfactorily as on cropped
land
There is no more important step In
the planting OF the young orchard than
the proper preparation Of the land.
|. should be so located that 1t may be
watered without flooding. The or
ehard will not stand careless watering
and trees In low places where irriga-
tion water floods the surface seldom
do well. When leveled the land should
be replowed and well worked down
with the disc and harrow, and fall
preparation is to be preferred to
spring.
In the choice of young trees do not
make the mistake OF buying second
class trees. If you were to buy stock
for your farm you would not select
all the runts from your neighbors'
herds, neither should you buy second
class trees As rule the buying of
yearling trees win be more satisfac-
tory than twoyear-old trees. A first
class two-year-old apple or pear tree
is very satisfactory to plant II It is
not headed too high. In the choice
of varieties Of apple. I would advise
you to stick as close as possible to the
recognized commercial varieties Of
Colorado. In higher attitudes we may
have to choose earlier varieties or
more hardy varieties but do not do
1t until you have tested the Jonathan,
Winesap, Rome Beauty and Gano, the
four commercial varieties Of this state.
You may find other varieties better
suited to your conditions. but they
will have to be tested on a small scale.
If you care to try pears in = COM
mercial way plant Bartlett. Kiesfsr,
Anjon and Mount Vernon. They rank
in about the order named. The Bart
lett suffers more severely from blight,
although 1t is one OF the most popular
on the market. The Keiffer Is almost
blight proof with us. is a good bearer,
fair seller. but poor in quality. The
Anjon is favorite early winter pear,
generally tops the market for price.
but unless properly handled Is q very
tardy bearer. The tree blooms well
but as grown by the average grower
does not set very much fruit. After
the tree gets old enough to bloom IT
should be pruned severely and pruning
during the dormant season tends to
make the fruit stick better. The Mt.
Vernon is very fine quality winter
pear and as far as we have observed,
quite blight resistant. am told that
you are planting largely Flemish
Beauty. but | am quite sure II blight
gets into your orchards 1t will kill
them faster than you can dig them
out. At any rate II is not q good
commercial variety. Stick to those
that the buyers want. In the growing
OF any fruit on a commercial scale
stick to a few varieties. You must
have the quantity as we'll as quality
to sell fruit well.
Many mistakes are made In settins
orchards too close Unless on vsrJ
light mesa soils 1t is not advisable tc
plant apples closer than 30x30 feet
nor pears closor than 20x2O feet.
In the best fruit sections Of Colo
rado the plan In setting Is to furrov
out the rows and plant in these Will
a little additional digging.
| Thav ohn,,lx txo OF 90 A.. -