Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-03-22

ne alAacheu ~ Dfl1iif. Whitb IS the
greatest drawback to pear culture.
Use of Commercial Fertilizer.
A commercial fertilizer containing
~ to . per cent Of nitrogen. Z to 8
per q Of available p~hosphoric acid
and 10 to II per cent Of potash win
give good results on land that Is def
Client IN these elements when applied
in q quantity ranging from 400 to GOO
pounds per acre.
For sections south of about the for
tysfrst parallel Of latitude the fail IS
undoubtedly the best season for plant
ing. but for most Of the territory north
Of this line spring planting is safer.
Ii is ais important with the pear as
with any other kind of fruit tree that
tile land, whether for standards or
dwarfs, be well and thoroughly pre-
pared by blowing and stirring the soil
and subsoil deeply before planting.
The preparation can best be done in
the fall, US the effect of freezing and
thawing the ground through the win
ter improves the soil By pulyerizing it.
An excellent plan is to plow the
ground in lands In the direction that
will afford the best drainage, back
%furrowing with a heavy plow and
leaving the dead burrows where the
rows of trees are to be set. 1t is well
to break up the bottom of this dead
furrow by running a subsoil pillow
through it two or three times. giving
it a good stirring.
A good distance for planting stand
ard pear trees is Is by 80 feet-that is.
the rows are thirty feet apart and the
trees fifteen feet apart in the rows.
Another plan is to plant the trees
twenty feet apart each way. This dis
lance will afford free circulation of
air and abundance of sunlight. both of
which are essential to success.
Dwarfs are sometimes planted ten
feet apart each way. but fifteen feet
each way. or 1913 trees to the acre, Is
better, This distance gives room 10
drive through the grounds for spray
ing and to gather the fruit.
One Year Trees Best.
Strong, well rooted one-year-old trees
are preferable to any other age, wheth-
er standard or dwarf. If early fruit
fulness is desired dwarfs are prefer
able, but it should be borne in mind
that such trees are usually shorter
lived and seldom attain large size. For
these reasons they are better adapted
to small lots or to garden purposes.
On the other hand, if longevity of
tree. larger size and capacity for pro-
dueing heavier crops are desired stand
ards should be planted.
Pears vary in their season of ripen-
ing. so that if proper attention is given
to the selection Of varieties and to care
full handling and storing the pear
grower may have fruit for his table or
market from midsummer until March.
Some varieties Of pear are infertile
by themselves, and therefore varieties
should be intermingled in planting in
order to insure f~ruitfnlness. No more
than two rows of Il variety should be
planted together. alternating with some
other variety that is considered a good
polliniZer. II may be said, however.
that self fertile varieties under some
conditions may become self sterile un-
der other conditions.
Thorough and frequent stirring OF
the ground between the rows with a
cultivator should be done during the
early part of the growing season or
from early spring until July l., when
cultivation should cease so that the
new growth of wood may harden up
sufficiently to endure the winter tenn
perature.
After the trees have attained suffi-
Client size and age TO ommence fruit
ing cultivation may be discontinued
for awhile and tine land seeded to clio
yer. This cover crop will check the
rapid growth Of the trees and bring
them into bearing sooner than If cult
Walton is continued. If the clover is
allowed to fail on the ground instead
of cutting and removing it. it will act
as q mulch and serve to retain mois-
tlre in summer and be a protection in
winter.
Crops Among the Trees.
IT desirable to grow other crops be-
tween the rows OF trees as a matter of
economy. this may be done for a few
years after being set out without any
detriment to the orchard, provided the
crop is of such Il nature as to require
thorough cultivation. To grow among
the trees the first season after plant
ing there is no better crop than corn.
Other crops. such as potatoes, cab
bages. peas, beans, melons. etc. may
We grown to advantage. Small grain
Or grasses which do not require cult
vation should not be allowed in the
Rewly planted orchard. All these crops
take from the soil plant food which
win be needed in time for the or
chard's support and which should be
returned In some form of manure
-. Cover crops, by conserving moisture
and adding elements of fertility to the
soil. are beneficial to the pear orchard.
Among the desirable cover crop plants
are the cloyers and legumes. such as
eOwneaS beans yptchps ate