The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-11-13
IMPROVE HOME ORCHARDS

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old home orchards which from neg
lect or disease have ceased to yield
paying crops and are gradually be.
coming an eyesore instead of an or
nament around the home.
Probably the first and most impor-
tant step that should be taken DUR
ing the winter time is the pruning.
All the dead and dying limbs should
be cut back to sound wood. Then,
in order to facilitate free circulation
of the sunshine and atmosphere and
to avoid making as many large cuts
as possible, it is necessary to clip out
the small upright and downright
branches from the main scaffold OF
leader limbs. When this is done, take
good look and remove any crossing
imbs which may be rubbing 1t is
a good rule when you have any doubt
about removing limb on an old tree
to remove it, il on young tree, leave
it. II the trees are showing con-
siderable amount of decay and slow
growth among the branches, it Is well
to saw off, at distance of about two
feet from the main trunk of the tree,
one of those main leader or scaffold
limbs which represents about one
fourth or one-ffth of the entire
branches. If possible, this should be
done at distance of twelve inches
above two of its small lateral limbs
which are about foot from the main
trunk Of the tree. This will stimulate
the small limbs to a rapid growth and
as they grow larger the stub, which
is left, can be cut nearer to them,
If large limb is removed close to
a small limb, the healing over of the
cut is so slow that it causes decay to
start where the large limb was cut
and spreads so deeply into the sound
wood that it alwals leaves defective
part in the tree; when If it has beer
removed gradually, the stub as it be-
comes effected can be cut out from
time to time so that at the last cut,
it will be removed enar one of these
lateral limbs which has grown large
enough to callus the wound immedi-
ately. About every other year, one
of these large limbs should be taken
off in the manner above described so
that new growth can gradually be
near the trunk of the tree.
If the entire limbs are sawed back to
stubs, which is commonly practiced
in many localities, it will destroy The
between the branches and
the roots and cause a tremendous
growth of water sprouts. Under such
conditions it is usually three or four
years before profitable yields are OBJ
tanned. When these large limbs are
removed gradually, as outlined aboveI
the pruning is just heavy enough to
stimulate sufficient new growth to
cause fruiting and to gradually build
a new tree near the old trunk.
Next to pruning, fertilization is Of
prime Importance in renovating the
old orchard. The most advantageous
way to do this is to dig trench about
twenty inches deep and about sixteer
inches wide just under the outer
limbs in a complete circle around the
tree, fill this, we'll packed, to within
four inches of the top of the ground
with stable manure, then cover with
dirt. This stimulates new root de1
velopment and also has tendency to
draw the roots out from the main
trunk of the tree so that it can with
stand drouth when bearing crops Of
fruit. 1t is very important, when pos
sible, to pillow the ground in fall or
winter near these old trees as close
to the trunk as possible with some
thing like a one-horse turning plowl
Then the ground should be thorough,
ly narrowed with any kind of har-
row you happen to have that will pull
verize the soil and break the clods!
This helps establish new vigor.
Then, the trees should be thorough.
ly and we'll sprayed with concentrated
lime sulphur solution, diluted to win
ter strength which should usually be
one gallon of lime-sulphur to six gal
Ions of water. 1t will take about five
gallons Of the diluted spray to cover
we'll grown apple tree.
If the above treatment is given to
your home orchards during the fall
or winter, there is no reason why you
should not be made happy this next
wear from increased yields and su
perior quality Of fruit as well as
from the aesthetic touch which this
renovation will give to your home and