The sun., 1908-11-29
OLD ORCHARDS MADE TO PAY
POINTS FOR WOMEN WHO PLAN
TO BUY RUN DOWN FARMS.


Again with Little Trouble-Prurnr
Cultivating and Spraying Arc I'm,
pOrtant-A Complaint Of Beginners.
"Within the last two months I've had
as many a. twenty letters from women
asking for advice about investing in fruit
trees said woman who owns and man.
ages large orchards In the central part
Of New York State. "Most Of these women
are thinking Of investing In farms or small
country places where there are already
what they term old. run down orchards
They come to me to find out IL they can
ever make those old trees bear.
According TO my experience an apple
tree In this climate has to be pretty far
gone to be ready for the axe. |
mean OF course when it is good variety.
The trouble with the apple trees which
we see on these old places is that they need
care and attention.
sThey have been allowed to stand
year after year with their roots covered
by sod. They are actually dying OF
thirst and starvation. II one will only
study the difference In the color of tho
leaves Of trees growing in titled orchard
and In one allowed to go to grass in mid.
summer he will see the signs of starva.
ton and thirst.
"The first thing to do with such an
orchard Is to plough it up. II it has been
In sod for a number Of years there will bc
many roots near the surface. Do not be
afraid OF hurting the trees by cutting
these roots with the plough.
"This ploughing should be done early
IL. IL l.
eral times during the first season. II the
roots are SO thick that you cannot plough,
then chop up the sod with disk harrow.
II the land is too rough even for that, turn
in hogs. Drop a few grains of corn
here and there in orowbar holes and leave
the rest for the hogs.
trees in such neglected orchards al.
ways need pruning. Tais should be done
when tho trees are dormant. February
In usually the best month.
several years do not take out all the use
less wood at one time. That would be too
severe. Let some OF it go over.
| "How, pruning z 10 something that should
never be carelessly done. Have all your
tools sharp. cut the limbs close and paint
all wounds above two inches wide SO as
ings should all be burned and the ashes
scattered about the roots OF the trees.
After this severe pruning you will get
big crop OF water sprouts in the summer.
Rub them on promptly. After this first
pruning 1t will be necessary to prune a
little every season; ~ ,tS"t never dsin feel that
and every one Of my apple trees slight
| general pruning.
sAs rule there is enough plant food in
the soil II 1t is only put in shape SO that the
trees can use it. II, however. this should
not be the case then a fertilizer containing
dressing of barnysrd manure is the very
best way Of supplying this nitrogen
| Nitrate Of soda is also good. II there Is
still more tonic needed, then later in the
year give the soil q good diet OF ground
bone and South Carolina rock.
@Trees that have been allowed to remain
with their roots under sod for years are
as rule full Of bugs. These Of course
must be killed and at once, With knife
and wire hunt out the borer and kill the
last one Of them Trees should be wormed
twice year, & in fan !. and nd in sP6ting -.,..
good fruit without Q spray pump. II
you have never sprayed begin by writing
to your State experimental station for
its spraying bulletins. Don't spray feebly.
but do the job thoroughly.
II there are only few trees the whole
apple trees that now seem so hopeessly
infested can be protected for 10 cents
year. The fruit will certainly be worth
many times that amount,
Sometimes even after all this has been
done some orchards win not bear; Asa
rule this Is because proper attention has
not been given to planting the fertile
Varieties with the sterile varieties
@TIees may be healthy and blossom year
after year and no fruit be formed. This
condition can be remedied in two ways.
One way Is to graft about every third
ing variety. The other and sometimes
the more convenient Is 20 replant certain
rows with pollen bearers. When setting
out new orchards ! always plant every
fourth row with pollen bearers.
Fortunately It is only in isolated Or
ditions prevail. In fruit growing districts
where several varieties are raised and
bees are kept a total failure is next to inn
possible. II is not always necessary TO
keep bees, but It will pay fruit grower,
especially In new country, to be on the
safe side.
Il keep bees, though am very much
afraid OF them. entirely for the improve
ment Of my fruit. The difference bees
can make In the quality and quantity OF
fruit is readily seen by noticing the diff
ference when they are kept from flying
ny u iOhB bpell Vi rainy WedtntT. luo
fruit grower who keeps bees should be
careful never TO spray when the trees
are in bloom. as IL may kill the bees.
Every fruit grower is always hearing
the complaint from amateurs; My fruit
10 dropping. What is the matteri In
nine casss out Of ten II you will cut opena
piece of the fallen fruit you will see that
the seeds have not started to grow. There
Is just one explanation. Phe fruit has
never been fertilized.
Sometimes there is not enough pollen
to 60 around and az a result all the flowers
are not fertilized. The remedy is either
to plant more pollen bearing varieties or
to get bees.
"In my opinion there are few crops more
certain and more remunerative in this
part Of the country than apples. A good
apple orchard should more than pay for
itself in few years. The rules govern;
ing the pruning and spraying are few and
simple. Any woman Of average intelli.
gence can put them into practice without
any training"