Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-14

ways.
Prof Stonsburn's timely and suggestive
contribution deserves the thoughtful coRsid-
GRAFTON of every poultryman VINO desires TO
secure the greatest profits from his plant
One often wonders why so many poul-
trymen confne their adult birds in hot,
sun-baked yards and grow their chicks
on shadeless ranges, in view of the fact
that fruit trees will furnish the neces-
sary shade and protection and yield
profitable crop in addition. It GER
tainly looks like poor business judg-
ment to fail to take full advantage of
the opportunity to secure two crops
from the same area, especially when
each is a help to the other.
Fruit growing in conjunction with
poultry keeping may be developed as a
distinct commercial enterprise or made
a strictly family table proposition, ac-
cording to the amount of available space.
But it is astonishing how much fruit
in considerable cash.
MANY ADVANTAGES
The advantages possessed by the poul-
try-fruit partnership may be briefly
plantation yields a surplus which brings
summed up as follows: The trees and
vines furnish the shade needed by
chicks and hens, they attract many in
sects which the birds enjoy and the
in the poultry ration. In return. the
fowls keep down the insect pests and
add to the soil much valuable plant food
which causes trees and vines to make
rapid and vigorous growth.
The one disadvantage Of the combina-
tion lies in the fact that much of the
pressing work in connection with the
trees comes at the season when poultry
men are busy with incubators and brood
hot
conditions one branch is neglected or
both are only half cared for and then
disappointment is bound to follow.
OF course, this refers solely to estabo
lishments where both fruit and poultry
interests are considerable in extent. On
the home plot this difficulty would not
arise.
Almost any kind of bush, vine or tree
fruits may be grown in poultry yards.
can be, produced on q very small amount
of land and no woften the home fruit
On rented places, where quick returns are
demanded the various canes blackber-
ries or raspberries best meet the necessi-
ties of the case These may be set in
rows or in clumps, depending upon the
size and shape of the poultry yards.
Gooseberries and currants may safely be
planted in yards where the chicks are
grown, as they will do little damage to
the low-hanging fruit.
1t must be admitted that chickens of
all ages will pick many of the berries
which are within reach; but what of it?
Many will be left, and these are all clear
profit, which could not be secured if
bushes were not planted.
Grapes do especially we'll in poultry
runs, and they are well adapted for use
| in places where but little space is avail
| able. The vines should be trained over
fpnCnG HIGH oPhOTg a inst the wa lis
| of buildings, so the clusters may hang
| beyond the reach of the birds. In some
| cases small yards may be completely
| rooted in with grape vines, thus afford
| ing a cool, shady retreat for the fowls
| and furnishing, a good supply of deli
| cious fruit. The writer has frequently
| observed this scheme in operation In
| city back yards, invariably to the benefit
| of both the birds and their owners.
Among the fruit trees which may be
used to advantage are apples, pears,
| peaches and plums. In crowded loca-
/ tions these may be set close to the walls
of buildings and the limbs trimmed off
| close on the side of the tree next to the
| wall. If necessary, the trees may be
pruned in Tyre shape with their branches
hugging the wall, as is commonly done
/ in European gardens.
Apple trees are long lived, but are
comparatively slow in growth. For per-
manent yards they are NOSE desirable,
since replanting is not necessary. The
\ same may be said of pear trees, though
| these are usually upright in form and
do not furnish as much shade as the
wide-spreading apples.
PLUM TREES THRIVE IN POULTRY
RUN.
Plums Seem to thrive especially well
in poultry yards, making rapid and
vigorous growth. The quality of the
| fruit grown on plum trees so located is
uniformly good. One of the greatest
pests of the plum is the curculio, which
attacks the fruit, causing much of it
to fall prematurely, or at least inJur
| ing it's appearance and value. The
fowls may be depended upon to reduce
such loss to the minimum, especially if
| the trees are lighly shaken or Jared
daily. This causes the insect to drop to
the ground, and ii never makes the
return trip.
In sections where the peach thrives
| trees Of this kind are fine for growing
| in the poultry runs. They make rapid
growth; in fact, furnish considerable
shade the second year after planting.
Their foliage is thick, and the trees are
unusually attractive in appearance.
From blossoms to fruit, the peach is a
source of constant satisfaction.
OF course, the fruit trees should be
| cultivated, fortified ana pruned. Ordi-
narily. the hens will attend the first
two items. scratching and wallowing in
| the soil and adding to it a constant sup
| ply of fertilizer which is high in the
nitrogen content. In exceptional cases,
where the yards are heavily stocked
with fowls, too much fertility is sup
piled, resulting in an excessive growth
of wood, at the expense of the fruit
This condition will not cause trouble
until the trees reach the bearing age.
CAREFUL PRUNING DESIRABLE.
In the matter of pruning, the poultry
man will give his trees different treat
ment than the professional horticul-
turist. The latter heads his trees low
in order to reduce the labor of spraying
and picking the fruit AS a rule, low
headed trees are not desirable in the
poultry yard, since they interfere with
the work of caring for the stock. The
poultryman, therefore, trims his trees in
such a manner as to insure head room"
underneath them, Any one who has at
tempted to round up a bunch of chicks
under low trees will appreciate the adj
vantage of keeping the lower branches
well above the ground.
Pruning is necessary in all cases; it
is especially demanded where trees are
grown in rich soil Proper pruning pro-
notes and conserves the vigor of fruit
trees and retains a proper balance be-
tween vegetative growth and fruit pro-
duction. 1t opens up the branches and