Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-06-19
PLANNING a FAMILY osc4AK.
What ore Frr.ner Planted for Ri.
Own Needs.

In arranging an orchard for the use
OF the family. there are several things
10 consider. IL must be located con.
Venient 10 the dwelling house. 10 save
time and labor in gathering small
quantities OF fruit II should. IL pos.
sible. be located on land that will ar
FORD the best natural advantages. in
The way OF type Of soil, and exposure
10 the sun, etc. and the orchard
should be so arranged that the fruit
nearest the house viii commence to
! fruit first in the season.
A variety OF fruits should be select
ed TO furnish a supply of fresh fruit
Throughout the entire season. and at
the same time furnish enough OF late
iruit TO store for the winter; therefore.
II Is necessary 10 plant trees from the
earliest TO the latest fruiting
Following ] give a sample OF my
own fruit orchard for family use which
j think after several years OF use to
be convenient and profitable. writes
Il b. Rushing. IA Farmers Voice. 1
have a piece OF land containing IL
acres. lying south OF my dwelling
house, with southeastern gradual ex-
posture. OF soil specially adapted to the
growing OF fruits.
This plat Is 20 rods long. by u rods
wide. I have 81 cherry trees one rod
apart each way.
In the center OF the orchard. south
Of the cherry trees, l have SO grape
vines. rows running east and west four
Mills long. They are grown by the row
method, as I think I grow more that
way than by the hin method.
Just east OF the grape vines I have
20 peach trees. which consist OF both
early and late peaches.
West and south OF the grape vines
and peach trees. have Al early and
late apple tree with the early nearest
the house.
As TO my reason for this arrange
ment. the first fruit ripe in the spring
are the cherries. I have them so that
wife viii not have 90 go to the back OF
the field TO get her supplies for the
table and canning And for the bene-
Mt OF the reader as I go along will
give partial account OF what this lit
tie plat OF ground is bringing in dol
lars and cents beside supplying my
FAMILY With plenty Of good. fresh.
wholesome fruits the year round.
My orchard Is - years old. and not
doing its best yet. For the last five
years / have shipped. or sold. an av-
erage OF 90 cases OF cherries beside |
what we have used for canning. etc.
The 80 cases each year have Melted |
me 1925 per case. which Is SIS per
year from the cherries alone. above
what we used
Having few early peaches I have |
sold none except 10 neighbors. OF !
which i kept no record. But We have \
had an abundance OF very excellent |
fruit ourselves. I should say that for |
the past Eve years have sold as much |
as SO per year.
We have had for six years all the
grapes We wanted 20 use. and for the
last four years I have sold an aver !
age of 1000 pounds az two cents per
pound. which is $50 per year. above /
family use.
The apples are just now beginning
20 do something good have been
getting small quantity for the last
FOUR years. but since they were seven /
years old they have supplied the table. !
plenty for winter. and an occasional !
treat FOR the neighbors.
In the last three years I have sold |
above what We used. an average OF |
one bushel 10 the tree. al from so |
cents 10 one dollar per bushel or about |
SIS per year. Tor the last three years |
From now on they viii do much bet. |
ter.
AS 20 profits. the total orchard has !
furnished plenty OF fruit for our fami. |
". and an average OF $3.50 for the !
last four years. OF course I laid out |
the use OF the land practically for the |
first six or seven years. and was out I
some little expense OF handling. but l |
think received pay for all that from |
keeping poultry on this land.
PRUNING PEAR TREES.