ORCHARD. MANAGEMENT.* 



U. F. HEDRICK. 



The management of an orchard is not a matter to be settled by 

 one man for another. To give satisfactory general directions for 

 orcharding under particular conditions is quite as impossible as 

 it is to tell a man how to manage a business enterprise, a clergyman 

 how to preach, a teacher to teach, or a lawyer to win cases. But 

 some methods are common to all business, there are fundamentals in 

 theology, teaching is based on pedagogy, and every lawyer must 

 know something of Blackstone. So, too, there are generalities which 

 apply to all fruit-growing. The word " generalities " is used in 

 preference to " principles " as the latter would imply that fruit- 

 growing is a science, which it is not, but an art to which a number 

 of sciences contribute. It is well to understand this at the outset 

 and so not expect in this discussion the principles and formulas of 

 an exact science. 



DIVISIONS OF FRUIT-GROWING. 



The fruits of this climate fall into three classes, tree-fruits, vine- 

 fruits, and small fruits. Orchards are plantations of any of these 

 but we restrict the term in this discussion, as in common parlance, 

 to plantations of tree-fruits. To classify still further, orchards are 

 planted with two general objects in view, to produce fruits for home 

 use and for the market. Again, commercial fruit-growing is divided 

 into that for a special market and that for the general market. 

 Necessary brevity forbids specific discussion of these three divisions 

 of orcharding but the fruit-grower must not lump them together in 

 this rough-and-ready way. The ideals for each are distinct and the 

 methods that succeed in one division may not succeed in another. 

 The very first question for the fruit-grower to settle is whether he 

 is to grow for home use, a special market or the general market. 

 Upon this decision largely rests the choice of location and the choice 

 and number of fruits and of their varieties. 



Still another division may be made. A man may elect to grow 

 fruit extensively or intensively. In the first case the orchard is the 

 unit. Everything is done on a large scale. There are many acres, 

 few varieties, uniformity of method for all varieties, wholesale pack- 

 ing and handling; and satisfaction with a low price. In intensive 

 fruit-growing the tree is the unit. Orchards are small; there are 

 many varieties; special conditions and treatment are given each 

 variety; individual trees are carefully trained, pruned and fertilized; 

 the product is packed with all of the niceties known to the trade 

 and sells for a high price. 



* Reprint of Circular No. 24. 



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