Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-29
ORCHARD LANDS.
The Selection and Care of Soils For
Fruit Growing.

Fruit Growing.
BY CHARLES MBURKETT, Kansas,
before the State Horticultural society.
1t Is impossible for us to lay down
any fixed and set rules that shall gov
ern the selection of a soil for orchard
lands. We may call one type an ideal
soil, but what we want more than an
ideal type is farm orchard for every
farm. 1t would be folly to say that
we want ideal conditions Of soil for
every orchard or garden. What we
want are an orchard and garden on
every farm, and we want to take the
soils and Sc treat them that they will
respond In the highest degree to profit
and pleasure
There Are Different Ways.
One Of the first requisites in the
management Of orchard soils, garden
or, In fact, any agricultural soils is
thorough tillage. OF course there are
different ways to till the land. This
statement does not mean that we are
to turn the plowshare loose In the soil.
1t does not mean that we shall plow
or till at the wrong season Of the year.
1t does not mean that we shall give
the sandy soils the same treatment
that we give clay soils. But 1t means
that we must study orchard lands our
selves, to give just the treatment that
secures the greatest response. We can
disk our orchards If we fear to plow
them. We can grow rye or other
cereal crop if our soils contain too
much nitrogen. In fact, some of our
trees do not bear because they are too
abundantly supplied with heterogeneous
food in the soil.
There is principle acknowledged in
all our plant and animal life When
we treat an animal or plant too well,
sterility and lack of prolifcacy often
follow. 1t is also true with our trees.
Crops May Help.
Soiling crops may help some lands,
but the difficulty in growing soiling
crops is that they take great quantities
of food and water out of the soil. That
is the great difficulty of such methods.
What we are after, it seems to me, is
to get plenty of water in order to take
care Of the tree during it's spring and
summer activity. In fact, one thing
that has been brought most prominent
" before us in the last five years has
been the realization Of the value and
meaning Of water. One of the things
that have been brought out is that all
soils contain great quantities Of plant
food, but plants cannot get at this
plant food because of the physical
condition Of the soils. To help in the
work we must control the water sup
ply. 1t has been estimated, and have
no doubt that right around through
this section there is often not more
than so per cent of the water which
falls as rain that gets into the soil.
Kansas to produce remunerative crops
of all kinds if it is taken care Of. 1t
takes four inches Of water to produce
eight bushels of wheat. 1t takes nine
inches Of water to produce sixteen
bushels of wheat 1t takes fifteen
inches Of water to produce thirty BUSH
els Of wheat We have an abundance
of water, therefore, in our section If
properly conserved.
II takes great uedI VI WdIeE iOC
the production Of orchard crops be-
cause the trees are pumping out of the
soil great quantities of water all the
time. Open up the soil and let the wa
ter move into 1t, and once in the
soil maintain 1t there. A farmer said
that he allowed the weeds to grow up
and then moved them down and made
a thorough mulch over the soil. That
mulch acted in the way to do the most
good. 1t kept the water in the soil.
We know when we pass along the
road or elsewhere If we kick up
stone or even the dry dirt on the road
side we find It moist because the dirt
or stone acted as a mulch and kept the
water from escaping.