The Bossier banner., 1909-02-11
MONEY IN OLD ORCHARDS.
Profitable Fruit Crops From Run
Down Farms.


Profitable Fruit Crops From Run
Down Farms.
A woman who owns and manages
large orchards In the central part Of
New York state furnishes interesting
information which will be OF interest
in 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 CT investing in
farms or small country places where
there are alreudy what they term old,
run down orchards. They come to me
to find out If they can ever make
these old trees bear.
According to my experience. all
apple tree in this climate has to be
pretty far gone to be ready for the ak
l 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.
"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 in the color
tOf INn l0oy Of in, n
titled orchard and in one allowed to
! go to grass in midsummer he will see
the signs Of starvation and thirst.
"The first thing to do with such an
orchard is to plow it up. II it has
| been In sod for a number of years
there will be many roots near the sur
face. Do not be afraid of hurting the
trees by cutting these roots with the
plow.
'"rhis plowing 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 plow, then chop up the sod with
a disk harrow. If 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
| IL knl,o h
useless wood at one time. Let some
Of it 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 off promptly
After this first pruning 1t will be nee
essary to prune little every season.
"As a rule, there is enough plant
food in the soil If it is only put IL
shape SO that the trees can use it. II
however, this should not be the case
then fertilizer containing nitrogen
is the best tonic. A liberal dressing
Of barnyard manure is the very bes
way of supplying this nitrogen. Nj
trate of soda is also good.
II have found 1t impossible to rails,
good fruit without spray pump. L
yon have never sprayed. begin by writ
ing to your state experimental sta
tion for its spraying bulletins. Dom
spray feebly, but do the job thor
oughly
"Trees may be healthy and blossom
year after year and no fruit be form
ed. This condition can be remediet
in two ways. One way is to. graf
about every third tree in every thir'
row with pollen bearing variety
The other and sometimes the NOR
convenient is to replant certain row
with pollen bearers. When setting ou
new orchards always plant ever,
fourth row with pollen bearers.
Fortunately it is only in isolate'
orchards Of single variety that sue
!, conditions prevail In fruit growin
districts where several varieties ar
raised and bees are kept total fai
: ure is next to impossible. 1t is NO
always necessary to keep bees. but
} will pay a fruit grower. especially i
a new country. to be on the SAT
side.''
. AA->~aAAA Roeral Header