Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1899 — QUERRIES FOR FARMERS. [ARTICLE]

QUERRIES FOR FARMERS.

The Orchard and Its Treatment. The first thing in order is to get good trees, such as are adapted to our climate, as a great many are not, and get trees that will conce into bearing the second and third years. There is no use to set out trees that take eight to ten years to come into bearing. There is no use for people to buy of every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes along. If they will do so they will be left. There is plenty of good responsible nursery men in the country to get good stock from. The writer of shis article can furnish the people with just that kind, all guaranteed to be true to name and will stand between the purchaser and the nursery man. Apples, from 5 to 7 feet high at 20 cents each. Aftei you have got your trees, dig the holes deep and wide enough to let in the roots straight. Set the tree a little deeper than it stood in the nursery row, say two or three inches. Straighten the roots all out good, then take some of the top soil, fill half way up, “chug” the tree up and down a little till the fine dirt works down through the finer roots, then tramp the soil well. Fill up the remaining part then tramp again until the ground is solid. You had better look after your trees carefully through the summer, as after a heavy rain, in this part of the country, we* have so many strong winds that will loosen the trees so badly that if not attended to they will die. Don’t forget this point as it is very important to everybody that tries to grow an orchards. The next thing is to take care of and cultivate them for five years at least. There is nothing that will furnish so much nourishment to young trees as sorghum cane, and it makes a great shelter for the trees in keeping the sun from blistering the young ones which gives the borer such an opportunity to get in their work, which is so injurious to many young trees. If you keep your trees protected until they are of sufficient size to shade the body, then that trouble will be over so far as the body is concerned. Now as for pruning, and the time to do the work, I would say that the first five years will be the time to trim your orchard. Shape the tops by pruning, cut out and keep the top open and in so doing you will not have to saw out large limbs in after years, which is injurious to large trees, as a large limb when cut will check in deeply and your tree will take the dry rot and is soon gone. As for myself, I would wait until late in the spring, say till the last of April or first of May, then when you cut off a small limb it will soon heal over and not injure the trees, that is why you should do your trimming while the trees are young. Be sure and keep the tops very open for the first five years, then you can go through your orchard any time during the summer and trim off all water sprouts that may make their appearance, and you are not bothered in the spring. Hoping that these few thoughts may help our people, I still remain a worker, in the institute cause. A M. Y. Slaughter. 100 envelopes with your name and address neatly printed thereon for only 50 cents, at The Democrat office.