The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1911-12-22
Brief Visit Crowded With YaIu-
able Advice.
EXPERTS GIVE POINTERS TO
AGRICULTURALISTS.
Lectures VIII Be Printed so as TO
Reach all Farmers on the Twin Falls
Tract.

The industrial demonstration train
sent out by the Oregon Short Line
railway, arrived in Twin Falls Satur-
day according to schedule and remain
ed long enough to hurriedly give the
lectures on the program. A large num-
Der OF ranchers We're in attendance
and received considerable benefit from
the lectures given But this year the
company is adopting the policy of hav-
ing the lectures converted to type and
made available in pamphlet form for
the newspapers convenience so that
the entire series of lectures will ap-
pear during the next few weeks in the
Times. Th first lecture on orchard
culture, by John U. Mcpherson, fol-
lows:
In selecting land for an orchard site,
there are three things that should be
taken into consideration the lay of
the land, drainage, and depth of soil.
Land should not only be selected
which will give good soil drainage, but
air drainage should also be taken into
consideration. 1t is a well known fact
| that cold air always settles in low
places, and the planting of orchards in
| such places should be avoided, mas
much as they are more susceptible to
| frosts. 1t is also very important that
land selected for horticultural pur-
poses should be deep and well-drain-
| ed soil, so that at no time will water
| be allowed to stand around the trees,
and the soil should be of good depth,
so the trees will have ample room to
| develop their root system The best
results cannot be attained by planting
on shallow soil. Trees planted on
shallow soils are bound to be surface
feeders and will not stand drought,
and will require more water and more
frequent irrigation than trees planted
on deeper soil.
The varieties of apples to be planted
in any section should be governed
great deal by the length of the grow
ing season and the elevation at which
they are to be planted. Some sections
have longer growing season than
others, and in selecting commercial
varieties to be planted, the length of
the growing season should be taken
into consideration. The planter should
study his own locality, and the condi-
tions existing there before selecting
his varieties. Varieties should be Sc
lected SO that the fruit will reach a
good size, and have good color and
texture in the given number of months
which will be the growing season in
| that section. The growing of fruit on
| the western slope has reached such a
stage that no planter can afford to
plant any fruit other than the CONNER
cial varieties, and the fewer number
of varieties that are planted in any
one section, the better for the grower
when the fruit comes into bearing, as
too many varieties are now raised on
1 T. ,&O,, ,r1e. :1I 1,
mercial value and are not of good
keeping quality.
There is a great deal of difference
in the opinions of various horticulture
lists on the western SLOPE as to the age
of trees used in planting, but the best
results have been attained by the
planting of one year old, well-devel-
oped trees. AS a general rule, stock
from four to six feet, with a good
top and root is used, and in purchas-
| ing such nursery stock, it is we'll to
buy from some reliable nurseryman
as near home as possible In this way,
| the planter can see just what he Is
| buying. Spring planting is generally
| practiced in Idaho, although some fall
/ planting is done. In buying trees for
fall planting, the planter should be
certain that the trees are we'll ma
tured before purchasing. In some
cases, the nurseryman will strip the
| trees of their leaves before selling
them to the planter. Such trees are
worthless and should not be planted as
| it is impossible to form low-headed
| tree from such stock.
| The planting in the spring is begun
just as soon as the spring freeses are
over, and the soil II dried out, SO that
1t is mellow when handled AS a gem
eral rule, the apple trees are planted
from thirty to thirty-five feet apart.
This distance gives them ample room
to build up a good root system, and
ample coil from which to feed upon.
] In planting, the holes are dug about
| 2x2. The first to 10 inches Of the
top soil Is placed in one pile by itself
and the subsoil In another. The tree il
(: (COntInUed on L40t P9Qo.1 -