Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1891 — THE ORCHARD. [ARTICLE]

THE ORCHARD.

Potash Salts for Fruit Trees. Almost all fruit-bearing trees need more available potash. Even if analysis shows this mineral in the soil, its needs an additional supply in soluble form. If wood ashes caif be got they are the best, as they supply more mineral elements needed by the tree as well as potash. But potash salts are much better than nothing, and every tree that shows signs of blossoming should have an especially liberal supply. The earlier they are applied the better, for the spring rains and melting snows will dissolve the potash and carry it down to the roots. Grapes in Northern Latitude*. The summers in this continent are much warmer than they are in England or any of the .British Isles. It is the heat of summer rather than a continued mildness through the year that is essential to successful grape growing. In the growing season, between April and October, the higher*the latitude the longer the sun shines each day. Thus the grape becomes possible even in Minnesota and Dakota, provided the vines are protected

during winter. Summer in these regions is usually dry and very hot, but a wellrooted grape vine is not oasily injured either by heat or dronght. Beep Transplanting;. There are several reasons why in setting out young frail trees they should not bo set deep in tho soil. 1. A deep hole is liable to.become partly tilled with water, to the detriment of growth, and causing it to become baked in summer drought. 2. The soil is more likely to be thrown in with the 1 spade in large lumps and masses. Deep planting is often adopted as a remedy for short roots which have been cut in digging, iifrtcad of long horizontal roots which will hold and brace the trees. A stratum of finely pulverized soil six inches thick, is better than a foot of hard lumps as large as bricks, frepth in planting is frequently supposed to obviate staking trees, to hold them stiff in their position, while plenty of long horizontal roots is better than either or both. As some planter has remarked, if the roots are set near .the surface, the small fibers can strike downward if there Is a good bed of soil beneath, but little benefit is derived by their striking upwards to the surface. mellow surface soil is important, serving as a mulch and maintaining moisture for the roots. A hard or baked crust, especially if allowed to become infested with grass and weeds, is often fatal to success or growth. —Ohio Fanner.