The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-05-04
ORCHARD MANAGEMENT
A Visit to the Famous Trees OF
Grant Hitchinas.

done something The fame of his
low headed, sod mulched, early bear
ing trees has been sounded far and
near, and so attractive to the average
man is the thought of simply stick
ing little tree in a hole in the sod
piling little grass around 10, and
then letting nature do the rest, until
at five or seven years it bears fruit,
both good to eat and pleasant to the
eyes, that the "Hitchings method"
has taken hold of the people, and
many are following what they think
is his plan. have known Mr. Hitch
ings and his location for a number
of years. At the time OF our last state
fair a party of us visited the farm,
and brief description may be inter
esting and helpful says a writer in
the New York Tribune Farmer.
The trees are for the most part in
the hillsides, set in land full of
springs, and taking the seepage from
the hills still further up. One way
the trees are set in straight rows
about 80 or 40 feet apart, according
TO the variety. The other way they
are set in the most favorable spots,
avoiding either bowlder or stump
for it was practically new land when
the trees we're set-or wherever there
was a depression. The trees so set
showed plainly the benefit OF the ex-
ira moisture they were able to OBJ
tain. The older orchard has been sci
about Is years. There are few old
trees growing in the road near the
house said to be 100 years old, and
they are still vigorous and bearing
| fr'it. Yet they are far below the size
OF those GU years old in the cultivated
orchards of Mr.. Udell at Brockport,
! which orchard | described IN the
Tribune Farmer a couple of years ago.
There are about 1900 of the 10y
old trees, and nearly or quite as many
more later settings, some which are
just coming into bearing Some of
the latter are on the level land below
! the house. In addition, there is a
planting Of SOME 5000 trees in the
adjoining hillsides owned by COM
pany. Mr.. Hitchings has the over
seeing Of them and owns an interest
In one block. These have been started
and managed in the same general way
as Mr.. HItchiug's first setting; yet
think the noncultivation will not be
so closely adhered to. They were fine,
thrifty trees, from two to four years
set. picked fine northern spy from
throe-ycar-ola tee.
The trees are low-heldod the
: branches starting two nr three feet
from the ground. They are nearly as
large about the trunk and quite as
large as to top as the majority OF
trees Of like age. The lana is, and has
been, in sod. mainly natural grasses.
This has hec7 cut and piled about the
trees. In the earlier years alfalfa was
drawn in and put around them, kind
Of mulChnG few would have the grit
to do. Very little pruning has been
done, end the trees are getting prett :
dense inside, although shapely. The
state experiment zion has a bloclS
in the level land on which they are
= comparing cultivated corn crops with
the sod mulch method on a like num-
D Der Of trees. To my surprise there
was very little difference between
. them, | shall watch this experiment
with interest to see what the future
will develop.
The trees have come into bearing al
from five TO seven years of age, some
yielding a bushel of fruit at five Thi.
: year many trees We're picking FROM
: five to 10 barrels each. For the most
: part, the orchard has borne moderate
crops annually. The leading variety
is northern SPY. These grow to per
feCtion here. as all can testify wht
have seen them on exhibition at tn,
state fair. The Mcintosh is anothe
favorite In addition there wert
, greetings, Jonathans, beauty anC
other varieties less in number an,
, Importance. The Baldwin does no
develop here as it does on the mos
of New York state apple lands.
, The trees are thoroughly sprayed
The lay of the land oompels the us
l OF the hand pump, The apples wer
very free from codling moth, and wer
I sprayed with three pounds Of arsenal
of lead and one-quarter pound of pari
green to 80 gallons of bordeaux mix
, ture. The low headed trees max
thorough spraying possible, a poin
not to be overlooked. He has suffere
0 from the twig blight this last yea
r | was interested when he showed u
the trunk of an old Holland pippi
q tree, at the foot Of the orchard, an
, called our attention to the blight o
r trees about It and nowhere else 1
that orchard. He said one noon the
had noticed this old tree was blightinl
q Immediately after dinner 1t was cJ
= down and the branches were burne,
but in spite of this heroic treatmeT
a and in the short time insects and tn
/, wind had carried the spores to tn
o adjoining trees.
On these rough lands difiicult--an
i much Of it impractical-to till, with Il
# abundant water supply, under the for,
going plan the orchard has been an