Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-11-28

All SISHdid W
AS a number of people in the state
are planning on setting out either a
few or a large number of fruit trees
this fall, few suggestions at this
time may be Of help to some.
One of the first things to be consid'
cred when planning on setting out an
orchard is that of choosing field
upon which to plant the trees. 1t Is
very important to choose a field OF
good elevation in order to have good
air and soil drainage, for in such
field frosts are very rare and the
foliage Of the trees being dried up
quickly after showers and dews, fun
gus troubles are kept at their min"
imum. We must fyoid the low levels
and pockets, for in these places the
cold air settles and we are very liable
to have severe injury from frosts and
a considerable amount Of fungus trou-
Bile. There Is generally a clearly de-
fined frost line in every community,
and II We get our fruit above this line
we will practically eliminate the frost
question, and will get much better
color to our fruit. On the other hand
we must not set out our orchards on
bleak, exposed hills, where the winds
and sleet have clear sweep at them,
but should attempt to locate them on
the more protected and sheltered
slopes. No one exposure is best under
all conditions, but, generally speaking,
in frosty regions, where early bloom
Ing varieties are planted, a northern
exposure will tend to retard the bloom
Ing period somewhat until after the
spring frosts are passed. On the other
hand, a warm and sunny exposure, as
n southwark or southeastward one,
will produce early results and bright
colors on the fruit. The old idea that
any field, too rough and worn out for
any other crop, will do for fruit is
wrong. We should rather pick out our
rich and strong lands for fruit, as 1t
very rarely happens that the field Is
too rich for fruit growing.
The next important thing to decide
upon Is the varieties which we will
set. The choice of our varieties de-
pend upon several factors, namely, our
soil, climatic conditions, markets, etc.
Because a certain variety does we'll in
such a state and upon such soil Is
no reason for us to expect the same
Of 1t under our conditions. Again, If
we were growing fruits for a local
market, we would want those which
would ripen in succession, and which
would be OF high quality, while, II we
we're growing them for the general mar
kets, we would want the more CONNER
cial varieties, which would ship well
and hold up good in cold storage, al
though the quality was not quite as
high. Generally speaking, 1t is better
to grow those varieties which you
know will do well under your condi'
tons.
Following is a suggested list of fruit
trees generally adapted to West Vir.
ginia conditions, given in their APP
proximate order of ripening:
AppIes-Yellow Transparent Veal
thy, Grimes (Golden), N. w. Green
Ing, Jonathan, Stayman Winesap.
Winesap, York Imperial, Mammoth
Black Twig and Rome Beauty.
Peaches-Carmen, Belle OF Georgia,
Champion, liberia, Smock, Late Craw,
ford and Salway.
Pears-Clapp's Favorite, Bartlett,
Seckel, Clairgeau, Bose, Kieffer and
Winter Nells.
PIums-Red June, Abundance, Bur-
bank, Lombard, Bradshaw, Italian
Prune, Refine Claude Green Cage
and Damson.
Cherries (sweeD-Gov. Wood, Vel
low Spanish, Napoleon, Black Tarta
tian, Windsor, Schmidt's Bigarreau.
(sour) Montmorency, Early Richmond
and English Morello.
Care should be taken in the selec-
ton of the trees. A tree should be
free from diseases and insects. Next
1t should be clean and straight, with
q well-formed head, If a 2-year-old
tree. Many growers like a one
year-old tree, for various reasons, such
as being able to head it at any height
desired, handler to set, cheaper, ETC.,
while others like 2-year-old trees be-
cause they appear sturdier, seem to
save one year in time, ETC., but either
age tree, provided they are first-class,
generally do equally well under the
same conditions and care. Never buy
or 4-year-old trees.
When it comes to laying out the or
chard, many different plans and sys