Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-04-10
Family Orchard Would
Pay for Better Care

Pay for Better Care
Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
vallis-Family orchards, which ought
to be the ideal means of securing fresh
fruit of quality during most of the
season, are often SO poorly handled as
to be called a menace to the fruit in
dustry by those who depend upon fruit
growing as business.
al have felt that we can learn a
very profitable lesson from past ex-
periences with family orchards" says
Professor c. l. Lewis, head Of the
Oregon Agricultural college Horticul-
tural department. "The average
family orchard is too large and gen.
orally but poorly cared for. 1t pro-
duces more fruit than the family can
use, and this is often of inferior quail
ity.
II believe we can establish family
orchards that will be much better than
any we now have. Indeed this is nec-
essary in the opinion of many people,
IL the family orchard is to be pre-
served. Certain commercial growers
are already saying that the day of the
family orchard is about up. Unless
their owners take better care of them
they will be legislated out of exist
ence. 1t would be great mistake to
allow careless methods and harmful
practices to crowd out the growing of
the home orchard on Oregon farms.
Few things indeed contribute 80 much
to the delights of farm life as the
home orchard.
81 would reduce the number of
trees planted quite materially. In
stead Of planning to have whole tree
for every variety you desire it is bet
ter to plant less number of trees and
later graft four or FIVE varieties on
each. Many varieties of fruit are de-
sirable for the home orchard but do
not need the room and strength furn-
ished by an entire tree. By setting
out fewer number of trees and using
more varieties on them, fresh fruits
can be supplied for practically every
month in the year. Having smaller
orchard one Is encouraged to take bet
ter care Of It.
"Since there Is plenty of room on
the farm the trees should be headed
low, and planted so as to give them
plenty Of space. Apples should be
given at least 30 feet, pears 25, sweet
cherries 35, walnuts 80, prunes 20,
and peaches and sour cherries 20 feet.
"The trees should be planted lit
tie deeper than they grow in the nur-
series, and then / doubt whether it
makes much difference whether the
trees are planted in late fall or early
spring.
I'm choosing varieties for your
home orchards there are several points
to be kept in mind. First, grow only
varieties which you and your family
personally like. Personal preferences
should mean much in the selection OF
varieties for the home orchard. Sec
ond, choose your varieties so that you
can have fruit through the entire year.
Third, It Is not necessary to confine
yourself to varieties that can be
grown to the highest degree of COM
mercial perfection.
Many varieties that do not come up
to the commercial standard of color,
size and form, are because of their
eating or cooking qualities, very de-
sirable in the family orchard.
"The first variety I would include
Is the Yellow Transparent. It has
fair eating qualities, is good cooking
apple and the earliest good apple we
have in the state. The Gravenstein
should be of course in every home or
chard. The King of Tompkins County
is the best eating apple that can be
grown In the fall In the Pacific Coast
valleys.
Grimes Golden Is not only one Of
the best home orchard apples, but is
rapidly coming to be regarded as one
Of the best commercial apples. Il
isa splendid eating apple, n good
cooker and in the Willamette valley
Is good from the first Of December to
the first Of February. The Jonathan
develops splendid quality In the val
ley. The Wagner, Northern Spy,
Rome Beauty, and the Yellow New
town are excellent varieties that
should be provided for In the family
orchard"
Telling the Fortune