The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1913-12-26
REJUvENATING THE
OLD ORCHARD.

The farm orchard Is usually one
OF the most neglected spots on the
farm. For years 1t has been allow
ed to care for itself and as a result
the owner gathers only an inferior
crop of fruit when everyone who
cares for his orchard properly Is
blessed with bountiful supply.
The question Is often asked as to
whether 1t will pay to rejuvenate
these old trees. In many cases this
will pay and in some cases it will
not. 1t will not pay to renovate an
orchard where there Is very poor
stand of trees or WREN the trees
are over thirty years of age. Often
an orchard is located very poorly
to begin with as regards soil and
site and hence would not warrant
the care and expense necessary to
rejuvenate 1t. The fact that the va
rieties are not well selected should
not cause one to consider his orch
ard worthless provided tthe trees
are healthy and vigorous, because
in such case they may be success
fully top-grafted into more de-
sirable variety.
In working over an old orchard
there are four important steps to
keep in mind, viz. pruning, spraying,
fertilizing and cultivation.
In pruning an old orchard the
first step will be to remove all dead
end crossing branches. An attempt
should be made to cut back the
top in order to make the opera
tions of spraying and harvesting
easier. The ends of the branches
be thinned out so as to adj
NIT plenty of air and sunlight The
operation of pruning should be
drawn out over a period of two or
three years SO that the tree may
have an opportunity to adjust itself
to the new conditions. After this a
small annual pruning each year
should be given. Whenever a large
limb is removed care should be ta-
ken to makel the cut as close to the
trunk as possible and to coat the
wound with an application of lead
paint.
Spraying is also necessary in or
der to get 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 of
lime-sulphur should be applied in
the fall or just before the buds
start to swell in the spring, I'M
mediately after the blossoms fall 1t
will be necessary to use an applica-
ton OF arsenate of lead in order to
control the cooling moth or apple
worm.
During the winter it is good
plan TO apply covering of barn
yard manure. Use about twelve or
fifteen loads to the acre. If the
manure is not available a good high
grade fertilizer may be used in the
spring. The first year nitrate OF
soda may be used at the rate OF
$50 or 500 lbs. per acre. After this
the nitrogen supply should be kept
up by means of leguminous cover
crops. The same amounts of potash
and rock phosphate should be used
to supply the other elements.
If the land has been in sod for
some time it would be good plan
to break 1t up now. Plow to a deptf
of about four inches. Deeper plow'
ing may be harmful because the
roots in sod orchard have a ten
dency to come to the surface of the
groudn. If the orchard has been cul
tivated the land should be plowet
early in the spring. Cultivation
should be continued until about the
first of August, after which a le
guminous cover crop should b.
sown.
| Where an orchard has been ne
elected for several years the own
or cannot expect to bring it back II
one season. Under average condi
tions the neglected orchard will re
spond to the treatment indicated