The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1915-03-03
TREE PRUNING DEMONSTRATION
Horticulturist of University of Ne
yada Gives Excellent Illustration
OF Orchard Methods.

+ "A. IcuchpdueIs HOTilcuituTlsl
CT the u. of n. College of Agricul-
tire, gave practical demonstration
o. methods to be employed in tree
culture at the Experiment Farm last
Saturday afternoon. Mr.. Lehenbau-
er's discourse included pruning,
planting and grating. and the man
ner in which he answered all ques-
tons convinced those present that
lie possessed a thorough knowledge
CT his subject. The value of the
demonstration to the project was
limited only by the number in at
tendance.
According to Superintendent Head
ley, of the government farm. Prof
Lehenbauer will be in Fallon again
shortly and give other useful demon
etrations.
Following is an excellent article
by Mr.. Lehenbauer treating on the
subject in a general way:
The orchard site should be i'll per-
feet condition for planting before
eny trees are set out. The ground
ehould be properly graded SO that
Irrigation water can be easily ap-
plied II is desirable to grow some
foreign crop for a year previous to
planting the trees, or. il this is not
feasible, to give the soil a liberal
application of barnyard manure.
Plow the ground and prepare the
soil as for any farm crop. Set the
trees in rows from Is to 25 feet
apart. Dig the holes broad and
ample; the harder the soil the larger
the hole ought to be- Chop up the
soil in the bottom of the hole or
throw in a few shovelfuls of loose
surface earth
Before setting the tree into the
hole cut off smoothly with a sharp
knife the mutilated ends of the larg-
er roots and remove broken roots en-
tirely. Cut back the top of the tree
TO balance the loss of roots. In do
.ng this select four or five branches
60 situated as to promise a we'll
balanced, symmetrical head, smooth
ly cutting all others away. The
branches selected should then be
cut back to from four to six strong
buds.
Well-grown, low-headed, two-year-
old trees are most satisfactory. They
should be set an inch or two deep
er than they stood In the nursery.
In planting the tree use the fine, top
soil among and about the roots. FIJI
in around the roots with fine soil,
being careful that there are no air
spaces left near the roots. Fill the
hole about half full and then tamp
down firmly. II the soil is inclined
to be dry water should be added
and allowed to soak away into the
ground before the top soil is filled
in. After the hole is filled tamp the
soil very firmly again about the
trees, then add the top soil. The
latter should be left in a loose con-
dition and not tamped. II strawy
manure or other similar material is
at hand it is a good plan to place
some of this about the trees.
Give the trees plenty of water dur
Ing the spring and early summer.
By the first or fifteenth of July tie
water should be withheld. By do
ing this the trees are better able to
stand the cold throughout the winter
and early spring. When water is
applied 1t should be given in suf-
ficient quantity so that the ground
is moistened deep enough to reach
all the roots. otherwise 1t does but
little good.
Cultivate the orchard about every
ten days throughout the growing
season, and especially as soon after
an application OF water as is pos
sible. II is best TO plow 1t every
spring for several years, turning un-
der layer of manure, and cultivate
with a disk or spring tooth harrow
during tho summer.
Apple trees should be pruned
carefully each year durng the winter
or early spring. This, If properly
done, will make them harder and
also increase the yield of fruit.
WEATHER BULLETIN