Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-04-07
Orchard Planting

Before planting out an orchard con-
siderable forethought should be given
the matter. 1t is too late to rectify
mistakes after the trees have come into
bearing, therefore prevention Of wrong
paintings should attract our attention
at this time.
The first point to consider is just the
kinds of trees to buy, together with the
varieties best adapted to our conditions,
including soils, climatic and market
requirements.
There are many good varieties of
apples, pears, peaches, plums and other
varieties of fruits, yet fome are very
much better than others, and above all
WE should select varieties that sell best
In market.
After having in~telligently decided
upon the kinds and varieties of fruits
we wish to plant, we want to know
where to get AL stock at a reasonable
figure.
There are many good nurserymen In
the country who have fine stock for
sale and at a fair price.
Nurserymen who have the name of
selling first class stock are the ones to
purchase from to avoid any possibility
of getting trees affected by 'root GALL"
''hairy root" or infested by "borers"
and covered with ''scales" and above
all to avoid getting trees that produce
"Ben Davis' apples when you pur--
chase "Staymsn Winesap." Labels
are easily changed to conform with
ORDERS"
All other things being equal the
writer prefers buying trees from a
northern nursery, since such trees are
more dormant and planting operations
can be somewhat delayed In the spring.
All shipments of trees should be un-
packed upon arrival to see If the roots
are moist, because well packed trees
that are held up owing to freight delays
are often time found to be dry when
received by the planter.
The trees should be inspected thor
oughly at this time for the presence OF
fungus diseases. All doubtful speci-
mems should be rejected and any nur-
serymen who wants to do an honest
business will make proper adjustments.
Should the trees be found dry and
the order consists of a large number of
trees; dig a trench at one end of the
field where the trees are to be planted
and heel the trees in; pouring enough
water on the roots to thoroughly soak
them; then shovel in about one half
the soil taken out of the trench and
pour In a few pals of water after which
operation the trench may be filled.
The soil should be packed firmly
around the roots of the trees, SO as to
exclude all air.
IF only a small bundle of trees is pur-
chased they can be stood up in a barrel
of water and allowed to soak about "a
hours.
In heeling in any trees the bundles
should be cut open and the trees spread
Out In the trench, rather than heeling
in the bundles as they are received
from the nursery, otherwise the mois-
ture will not come in contact with all
the roots.
Just before planting, the trees should
be pruned both root and top.
Cut off any broken roots and cut back
all long side roots; the top should be
cut back according to the severity with
which the roots were cut.
In the case of peach trees, the entire
top should be cut off about Is to "a
inches above the bud and all side
branches cut off unless three or four
vigorous, we'll placed branches can be
secured to form the permanent head of
the tree; In such a case cut these branch
es back to a length of about 8-12
inches.
With apples, the head of the tree is
formed about 2 to % feet above the
bud, which is a proper height. Sever
al branches will be formed, yet over
three or four branches Is undesirable so
we should cut off all but three or four
of the best placed branches and head
back each of the remaining ones to
about a foot in length.
In selecting branches to form the
permanent head of the tree, try to
choose branches coming off the main
trunk at different points, thus avoiding
weak crotches which are apt to split
down under a heavy load Of fruit.
Starting the orchard right is one half
the tibattle.n
BY GEORGE B. THRAsHER,
County superintendent of Farm