The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1915-12-10
ORCHARD MANAGEMENT.

TAs question of orchard manage
n, is one OF primary importance to
fruit growers Of the state, and al
an. 10 which every orchardiSt
,u,d be Intensely Interested. No
,,r how ideal the soil, location,
hnll climate, etc, one is net likely
meet with success in orcharding
lsss the orchard is properly man
IA As proof OF this statement one
to 20 but very short distance
nm his own home. The men who
deyoting their time and attention
their orchards and keeping them in
I'd growing condition by cultivating
d combating the various insects
4 diseases are the ones who come
ahead every time. There is al.
Tvs a fair market for well grown
tt ana the time is past when one
grow frst-class fruit without Civ
his orchard proper attention.
|TIlsae. One OF the first problems
hi eonfronts the orchardist Is that
tillage and here is one point, the
kportanee OF which needs to be i'm
|essed upon the minds of the fruit
bowers OF the state. 1t is by no
eans uncommon to see young or
ards coming on where absolutely
care is being given them. Such
'eatment is bound to result in the
kstruction of the orchard before
eny years. or at least to prevent it's
Der coming into very profitable
uing.
Generally speaking, the orchard
tOuld be given at least one thor
bgh and fairly deep cultivation in
. late fall OF the year, and, if a
tVer crop of rye, winter oats or
peat is sown at this time, it will
PIP 10 prevent the washing of the
Ed and also help to hold some of
soluble fertilizers in place by
lking them up and returning them
gain when turned under in the
bring OF the year.
cultivation during the growing pc
kd should be frequent, but shallow.
|als can be done either by a disc
prov or by several makes OF spring
lth harrow The object is simply
keep down weeds and to hold the
fl moisture by keeping a soil mulch
Elablshed to break the capillary
lOes which bring the moisture to the
urface.
In order to defrsy the expense Of
a young orchard, crops
Nc Deans, peas, sweet potatoes, tur
ps etc, may be grown between the
'ws In cultivating the orchard the
ner crops will also be kept clean.
mol try to cultivate too near the
ees and generally by the time the
chard Is from to 5 years old il is
ne TO cease the cropping method,
lcepung of course the cover crop
Aieh may be sown every fall.
Soil Fertility. In order to keep an
chard in good bearing condition Il is
'ccessary that we use some method
keeping up the fertility of the soil.
neaVy crop of fruit every year is
'und TO deplete the best of soils
"hin few years time. So il we
pect TO gather crop of fruit every
ar we must get some means of add.
'his fertilizer back to the soil.
us can be done largely perhaps
lhe use OF leguminous cover crops,
cn as cowpeas, soy beans. etc. sta
o manure is one OF the best fertilia
:. mat one can use. Do
spread the manure close
ounu the body OF the tree. but
Aer some distance from the tree,
peciaiiy on the older trees. One
= Tell when the orchard is lacking
!. fertility by the. growth, color of
.ase and general vigor OF the trees.
The time to begin prun-
Is before the young tree is
lH'eu' All broken roots should be
'"''eo and in case OF a two-year-old
: the branches should be thinned
W iour or i've and these cut pack
1t is generally consid-
]. 'est 10 cut to an outside bud
''' 'ian an inside bud as this will
VOC 'he tree to spread more and
ei'e an open head, which is so
- aO'e IN case OF peach tree. The
a should be equally distrib-
a "iouhd the body of the tree
!, Slouid be at least four or five
0n,s apart on the young tree. Trees
~ not be allowed to become I'VE
= "a years old before pruning is be-
!, oecause it is then necessary to
Nj, ,o some large branches, thus
- wounds on the tree that are
~ ~ 10 heal. On the other hand.
Il mat are kept pruned from the
~ 'ney are planted have only the
s9ary branches left and all that
ms s.eSSary is to keep the growth
'u out and shortened back.