Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-02-02
SOME FAILURES in HORTI.
CULTURE.
A Paper Read by Isaac Johnson Be-
fore the Recent Horticultural
Society Meeting.

In this age of the world when rap
id increase of knowledge and expert
ence is the rule, it is easy to look
back and sse mistakes in every line
of work. In no industry, perhaps,
is this more apparent than in horti-
culture. Numberless mistakes are
made from the beginning to the end
of the chapter. shall not attempt
to enumerate all the mistakes that
have been made in this line of work,
but shall point out few, more par
ticularly those over which the plan
ter has control, Many select the
south hill slope for an orchard, and
may have the very best of location
on a north hill, which has proven
much better for apple trees than the
south slope. Why, some may ask.
There are several reasons, but the
principal one is that the trees are
more subject to sun-scald on south
ern slopes. In many cases lack of
preparation of ground Is a cause of
failure. The ground should be
thoroughly prepared, fit for raising
good crop of corn or potatoes.
This can be done cheapiy with pillow
and harrow If the ground is in de-
cent condition to begin with. Many
failures are from lack of cultivation.
Young or newly set trees should
have good cultivation. Thousands
of trees are destroyed every year by
failing to protect the trees from
mice and rabbits. 1t is very provok-
ing to have an orchard fairly well
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trees in healthy condition, and then
see the fine trees all gurgled by
either mice or rabbits, just because
he. failed to wrap the trees with
wire screening. These few causes
of failure. / have already mention
ed; selecting location, preparing
of ground, cultivation, protecting the
trees from mice and rabbits; this
is all more or less IA lack of care
or information. But there are 9TH
er causes operating against success,
which are less under his control
Yet, some of these are questions
requiring experience and judgment.
One. of the most important for sue
cessful fruit raising, is to select a
suitable variety of trees for the
location and soil. / will now name
one of the greatest mistakes that
leads to a failure, in planting out
too many varieties. Even a family
orchard does not require many va
rieties, and for commercial Or
chard it is not only inconvenient,
but improbable. Fifteen years ago
I planted out something over one
hundred apple trees, among them
were twelve Mann and these have
not borne peck of apples yet, and
never will, and good many others
are not profitable. Even IL market
can be found for all varieties, the
trouble in picking, measuring,
changing, barreling and storing a
great number of varieties Is too
great to pay for any supposed adj
vantages, while the advantages are
very. few, If any, and the disadvan-
tages are great. A given number
of bushels or barrels Of apples of a
single variety can be gathered and
handled much cheaper, but If to be
sold except to local home trade, will
sell more readily and at better pri-
ces. The odds and ends of a large
number of varieties are very trouble
some. and even for family orchard
few Of the most productive and
hardest varieties are much better
than a long list, especially in view
of getting unproductive and tender
kinds in the selection OF varieties,
not well known or well tested in
the locality.
ISAAC JOHNSON