The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1913-10-14
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
START AN APPLE ORCHARD


The site for an orchard should
not be low or level, but it should be
located on land that is somewhat
rolling so as to provide good air
drainage. Care must be taken not
to plant the trees on too steep a
hillside, because of the difficulties in
spraying, tilling and harvesting.
Broad, fiat bottom lands above river
are often good, because the river
draws" the frost and the land is
very easily worked.
The question of exposure is of
prime Importance in the planting of
trees. In general, northern and east
ern slopes are more fertile than south
ern or WESTERN slopes. A northern or
eastern slope is to be preferred in
this region because such exposure
aids in holding back the buds in the
spring when there is danger of dam
! age by freezing. Where early ripen-
ing fruits are wanted it is probably
better to plant on land with a south
ern exposure. If there happens to be
river flowing close by, advantage
| should be taken of the slope facing
| it regardless of the way the land lies,
unless it is altogether too steep. The
river will serve to ward off the frost.
| Apples thrive on great variety of
soils but in general they seem to do
best on we'll drained loan. Any land
that will grow good crops of corn or
Irish potatoes is considered fit for an
orchard, provided the location is
such that the land will drain readily.
Trees can not thrive in thin, badly
worn soil or where an imervious sub
soil is near the surface. Such a soil
is likely to hold too much moisture,
thereby causing the trees to be
stunted and weakly. If it is neces-
sary to plant an orchard in a soil
that holds too much moisture, provis-
ion should be made for artificial
drainage before the trees is planted.
Tile is the most satisfactory form Of
drainage to install, even if the in
itial cost is little high. Brush and
stone drains are unsatisfactory be-
cause they have to be taken up and
replaced too often in order to keep
them in good working order.
Soil containing abundant plant
food should be selected for the or
chard so as to insure a hardy, vigor-
GUS growth from the very start. 1t
is poor practice to crop land for sew
eral years, thereby eXhausting the
soil Of the plant food, and then plant
it to fruit trees expecting them to
care for themselves. Kentucky has
many orchards started in Just this
manner and in nearly every case they
have failed. 1t is best to begin
building up the soil, one or two years
previous to the planting, by sowing
some leguminouS crop and turning it
so as to supply plenty of humus and
moisture to the trees. Young growing
trees demand large amount of nj
trogen and moisture in order to make
a thrifty growth, and little work in
building up a soil will be we'll repaid
in short time.
Before locating an orchard for COM
mercial purposes it is we'll to go into
community where apples are al
ready being grown commercially be-
cause the markets in such a region
are already well established. The
fact that there are no orchards in a
region should not prevent one from
going into the fruit business pro-
vided he has the proper conditions.
For an orchard to be successful it
should be located where there is a
| good market or where the transpor-
tation facilities are good. Plant as
close a railroad as possible so as to
avoid long hauls and danger of bruis-
ing the fruit before it reaches the
market. There are many fine fruit
locations to be found in Kentucky
close to good markets and within
easy hauling distance of the railroads.
The land in many cases can be
bought very cheap and with a little
time and work it can be made valua
BILE for orchard purposes.
| The EXtentiOn Department of the
Kentucky Experiment Station gives
free assistance where possible to al
kinds Of agricultural enterprises.
| ]. H. CARMODY,
T. Asst. Horticulturist,
| Kentucky Experiment Station
i n1-ir