APPLES AND OTHER TREE FRUITS. 



GROWING APPLES COMMERCIALLY IN NEBRASKA. 



J. R. Duncan. 



In the following article will be found a brief description of a few 

 of the leading commercial orchards in Nebraska which have been a 

 profitable investment to their owners and have demonstrated what 

 proper methods will accomplish ir Nebraska: 



Shubert Bros, of Shubert, Nebr., have been producing annually 

 from 200 acres of orchard some ten to twenty thousand barrels of 

 apples of high quality. These orchards are located near Shubert, 

 Nebr., in Richardson county. and are on rolling land back 

 from the Missouri river from six to ten miles. Their methods 

 are those which any one can follow and they have orchards 

 of which they can well be proud. In regard to their methods, Mr. 

 A. M. Shubert, treasurer Eastern Nebraska Fruit Growers' Associa_ 

 tion, says: "We can grow a commercial orchard in Nebraska eight years 

 of age for $!.00 per tree, by the following method: Set the trees in 

 well prepared soil, two rods apart each way which will make forty to 

 the acre. Orow corn between the trees for first five or six years and 

 then seed the orchard down to red clover. Clover is a good fertilizer and 

 cutting the hay and letting it lie it makes a good mulch. This is impor- 

 tc'nt when the trees are fruiting heavily and the clover is cut and left to 

 decay on the ground thereby preventing washing of soil and loss of rain 

 "by running off. This is necessary for growing large fruit and to get a full 

 set of fruit buds for the next year. We prune so that all limbs will have 

 sun and proper ventilation which is necessary to grow consecutive 

 crops. Any old orchard will fruit once in a while even if nothing is 

 done. I have a twelve acre orchard on one of the best farms in Richard- 

 son county that has paid me as much money as the rest of this farm of 

 14 8 acres that I get half of all the crops in rent from for the past eight 

 years. The orchard is eighteen years old. No one expects to have good 

 apples without spraying. This is not the same as it was a few years 

 ago. A good power sprayer will cover ten acres a day at a cost of $2.50 

 per acre for work and spraying materials, using arsenate of lead for 

 worms and lime-sulphur for fungus diseases. This is not expensive. 

 We think three sprayers all that is necessary for our orchards." 



Among the leading orchardists of the state who have achieved an 

 enviable reputation for their fruit in the leading markets are Weaver 

 Bros, of Falls City. They have about 250 acres of orchard averaging 

 about nineteen years in age. This orchard receives the best of care, 

 being pruned a little every year, the aim being to maintain rather an 

 open headed tree with the surplus wood removed. They are very careful 

 to treat all wounds made in pruning and if any sign of canker is found 

 it is immediately attended to. Their orchards are carefully sprayed 

 three times under high pressure. First cluster bud, second calyx 



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