Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1909-10-21
MONEY IN OLD ORCHARDS.
Profitable Fruit Crops From Rur
Down Farms.

large orchards In the centra' part OF
New York state furnishes interesting
Information which will be OF interest
I'm all states where fruit is raised. She
says:
within the last two months I've
had as many as twenty letters from
women asking for advice about in
vesting In fruit trees. 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 II 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 ak
/ mean, Of course, when it is a good
variety. The trouble with the apple
trees which we see on these old places
is that they need care and attention.
'They have been allowed to stand
year after year with their roots COW
cred by sod. They are actually dying
Of thirst and starvation. If one will
only study the difference I'm the color
Of the leaves of trees growing in a
titled orchard and In one allowed TO
go to grass in midsummer he viii see
the signs of starvation and thirst.
''The first thing to do with such an
orchard is to pillow II up. If It has
been In sod for a number Of years
there viii be many roots near the sur
face. Do not be afraid OF hurting the
trees by cutting these roots with the
pillow.
This blowing should be done early
In the spring and should be repeated
several times during the first season
If the roots are so thick that you can
not pillow. then chop up the sod with
disk harrow. II the land is too
rough even for that. turn in hogs
Drop few grains Of corn here and
there In crowbar holes and leave the
rest for the hogs.
Trees in such neglected orchards
always need pruning. This should be
done when the trees are dormant
February is usually the best month.
IF the tree has not been pruned for
several years, do not take out all the
useless wood at one time. Let some
of II 60 over.
"Now, pruning is something that
should never be carelessly done The
prunings 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 of promptly
After this first pruning 1t will be nee
essary to prune little every season.
'As rule, there is enough plant
food In the soil IL 1t is only put in
shape so that the trees can use It, IT,
however, this should not be the case
then fertilizer containing nitrogen
Is the best tonic. A liberal dressing
Of barnyard manure is the very best
way of supplying this nitrogen. Nj
trate of soda Is also good.
Il have found 1t impossible to raise
good fruit without spray pump. If
you have never sprayed. begin by writ
ing to your state experimental sta
tion for its spraying bulletins. Don't
spray feebly. but do the job thor
oughIy.
"Trees may be healthy and blossom
year after year and no fruit be form
ed. This condition can be remedied
in two ways. One way is to graft
about every third tree In every third
row with pollen bearing variety
The other and sometimes the more
convenient is to replant certain rows
with pollen bearers. When setting out
new orchards l always plant every
fourth row with pollen bearers.
Fortunately 1t is only in isolated
orchards of a single variety that such
conditions prevail. In fruit growing
districts where several varieties are
raised and bees are kept total fail
ure Is next to impossible. 1t is not
always necessary to keep bees, but 1t
will pay fruit grower. especially in
new country. to be on the safe
side"