The record., 1913-12-18
Rsja,:natien Ci The Cid Orchard.

10 care lOI llSSil anu as Il result lnt
owner gathers only an inferior cIoI
for his orchard properly is blessed
with 4 bountiiul supply.
The question is often asked as tC
whether it Will pay 10 rtjuvenatc
ihcSe old trees. In macy case,
thls will pay and IN s.me cases i
will not. 1t viii nor ray To reno
vate an orchard where there is d
very poor stand of trees or when the
trees are over thirty years of age.
Often an orchard is located very
poorly to begin with as regards sol
and site and hence would not war
rant the care and expense necces
airy 10 rtjuvenate 1t. The fact thai
the varieties are not well selected
snould not cause one To consider
has orchard worthless provided the
Irees ale healthy and vigorous, be,
cause in such a case they may be
successfully top grated into more
desirable variety.
In working over an old orchard
there are four important steps to
keep in mind, viz. pruning, spray
ing, fertilizing and cultivation.
In pruning an old orchard The
first step will be to remove all dead
and crossing branches. An attempt
should be made to cut back the TOP
in order to make the operations oI
spraying and harvesting easier. The
ends OF The branches should be thin
ned cut so as 10 iGmit plenty of all
AID sunlight. The operation ot
pruning should be drawn out over Z
period of two or three years SO thai
the tree may have an opportunity to
adjust itself TO the new conditions.
After this 4 small annual pruning
each year sh ould be gwen. When
ever a large limb is removed
care should be taken to make the
cut as close TO the trunk as possible
and coat The wound with an applica
lion of lead paint.
Spraying is also necessary in or
der to gel the best results. The
number of applications will depend
upon the conditions in the orchard.
Ii the trees are badly infested with
San Jose scale an application oi
lime. sulphur should be applied il
The falll or just before the buds star,
to swell in The spring. lmmediatel,
after the blossoms fall it will be
necessary to use an application oI
arsenate of lead in order to contro
the codling moth or apple worm.
During the winter it is a good
plan to apply a covering of barr
yard manure. Use about twelve ol
fifteen loads to the acre. If The
man ure is not available good hIgf
grade fertilizer may be used in the
sprlng. The first year nitrate o.
soda may be used at the rate of 25c
or 500 lbs. per acre. After this the
nitrogen supply should be kept VI
by means of legumlnous cover crops
The same amounts of potash anc
and rock phosphate should be useC
to supply the other elements.
Ii the land has been IN sod foI
some time it wonld be good plar
to break it up now. Plow to depti
of about four inches. Deeper plow
ing may be harmful because tn,
roots IN a sod orchard have ten
dency 10 come TO the surface of th'
ground. II the orchard has beer
cultivated the land should be plow
ed early in the spring. Cultivation
should be continued until abou
the first of August, after which
leguminous cover crop should b.
sown.
Where an orchard has been neg
lected for several years the owne
cannot egpsci to bring it back il
one season. Under average condi
tions the neglected orchard will res
pond 10 the treatment indicates
above. The Extension Department
will give free assistance whereve
possible to orchard improvement
work.
| ]. A. CARaopY, Asst. Horticulturlsi
| Kentucky Experiment Station,
Lexington, Kentucky
| .