The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-14

oI4S 1oiA lidid1S itoilE1 ~ 800
old apple orchards lasted. one OF my
earliest remembrances was attached
to the dwelling of my g~reat-SFand-
mother. This cha was planted
in 1928 and the ely has grown Uu'
and taken in the land in residence
lots and streets. But here and there
in the gardens there are still a lew
Of those old apple trees still living
and bearing fruit.
An apple orchard properly attended
10 is a thing for generations, and
hence the preparation for planting
should be of the most thorough char
acter. Then never plant any fruit
tree more than one year old. Inc
yearlings arc mere switches with live
buds all over the stem, and you can
cut them back and start the head
where Q wan it-that is, only a
few inches from the ground.
In these days of spraying we must
have loW-hedded trees. A tall stem
to a tree is a decided disadvantage IL
many respects. 1t Xpose h trunk
too long to sun-scald; it furnishes
leverage for the wind to blow h tree
over; it is unhandy to spray cana we
must spray il we are to grow good
fruit), and it is too unhandy to gather
the fruit from a tall tree.
If you plant three or f~Our-year-Old
trees you have to accept the head that
the rurseryman has started and these
are always too tall; for the nursery
man imagines hat every one wants
tall trees.
Then in the South always plant
trees in the fall, from November till
Christmas, for where the soil does
not freeze deeply h roots will be
making new tibres and feeding root
hairs in winter, all ready for the
swelling Of the buds in spring.
Then in planting prune the roots
well. The fine haiT-like roots are
worthless, for they have inevitably
dried up, and it is necessary for the
tree to make new tibres and new root
hairs, and it can do this better from
a freshly clean-cut surface than from
the old tried fbres. I trim all h
roots around about six inches from
the stem, cutting with q smooth u
on the under side Of the root.
While yearling trees are best OF any
kind. they are absolutely essential in
planting peach trees. a peach tree
Two years from the bud is worthless
For planting, and l would not plant
them if given to me free.
Another thing in planting IS ram
Minis every inch Of soil as it is put IN.
Never settle the soil around a tree by
pouring water in the hole, for then
the sell will crack and let in the air.
but ram it tight to the roots as it is
tiled in, as tight as though you were
setting a gate post
Then head the little tree back. /
cut hack to about twenty inches from
the ground, cutting just above a bud.
Then when the buds swell in spring
select three Of four from this bud
down to form the main branches Of
the tree and rub off all others.
All grapes except the ~SCuppernOng
class should be pruned in March in
the South. If pruned in the fall, they
are apt to start too early and get
frosted. On two occasions in North
Carolina grapes pruned in the fall had
the young shoots frozen off while
those that had not been pruned had
not swelled n bud. AS to bleeding,
the growth Of the foliage will soon
stop that.
Horizontal arbors are better for
grapes Of any sort than the vertical
trellises. I had some years ago a
grape arbor over a garden walk. The
vines were purposely left without
spraying. The apes on h vertical
sides Of the arbOr rOtted badly, While
those overhead were not affected. /
once tried making an overhead shelter
about two and a half feet wide or
part Of a long vertical trellis and the
remainder Of the trellis was sprayed,
while those under the shelter were
not sprayed. There was more rot on
the sprayed portion than on the part
with h broad shelter. On a hori-
I1l LISiIio VI ~ - oAAo6o
gives the shelter and the fruit hangs
underneath.
FALL GARDEN NOTES.
I sowed my Last spinach the 4th OF
October. will be for spring use.
That soWed in August Is now being
cut for use and is fine.
Try mex season some Of the Ford
hook Bush Lima beans. They are
wonderful bearers and make beans
of the largest size and q good many
in the long pods. Now. the first week
in October mine are still full of
blooms. but these flowers will hardly
make pods before frost.
I have tried nearly all the tomatoes
offered. The earliest is the Northern
Adirondack strain of Earliana. Bonny
Best is early and good. For the main
crop there is nothing better than