THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



Ol^GHAI^D AND SMALL Fl^UITS 



PLANNING FOR A YODNG ORCHARD, 

 By L. H. Baii^y, Jr.. Cambridge, Ma^s. 



The present is an opportune time to inaugurate 

 plans for the setting of an orchard, and for the 

 method of its early cultivation. Tlie time re- 

 quired for the trees to come into bearing and the 

 health and sliape of the trees when full-grown, 

 will in a great measure depend on their early 

 training. Leaving out the matter of choice of 

 varieties, there are questions relating to forms of 

 planting, and to details of cultivation which will 

 bear careful discussion. For all the larger grow- 

 ing varieties of apple trees, an ample space must 

 be allowed between tlie rows. Young trees scat- 

 tered over the field at a distance of forty feet apart 

 each way, present a discouragingly thin appear- 

 ance for a few years, to be sure, but uo otlier 

 method of planting can hope to bring highly 

 remunerative results. The object of cultivating 

 the tree is to procure jirofit from it ten or twenty 

 years hence, and towards that distant point we 

 must make every effort tend. There is no com- 

 moner fault among orchards than close planting. 

 There are few varieties of apples which can be 

 profitably grown nearer together than thirty-five 

 or forty feet. (_)ne of the finest orchards I knew 

 ten years ago, is now a tangle of interlapping 

 branches, although the trees are but twenty years 

 old, and they were set two rods apart. Forty 

 feet each way is a popular and proper distance for 

 trees to be separated. In the case of Baldwins, 

 Greenings, Kings, and other strong varieties, if 

 grown on strong soil, I should prefer to increase 

 that distance rather than decrease it. 

 ylf the orchard is to include several varieties, it 

 is usually better to set each variety in a block or 

 square by itself, than in rows, especially if the 

 rows are long. This will be a great convenience 

 in picking and packing the fruit. The nearer 

 together trees of the same variety are set, the less 

 will be the cost and labor of harvesting. In all 

 moderate size<i orchards it is better not to set 

 more than four or five varieties, if the orchard is 

 planted for profit. If an equal number of each 

 variety be set, the ground had better be quartered, 

 and each quarter, or each half-quarter, set with 

 one variety. If there are widely different kinds 

 of soil and location in difl'erent parts of the field 

 which is to be planted, it will be necessary to 

 make some calculation as to what varieties will 

 do best in certain parts of tlie field. The warmest 

 ground should be set to early apples in preference 

 to winter apples. Winter apples should ripen 

 late to keep well. The least hardy varieties 

 should be seton the highest and best drained soil. 



What kind of crop to raise in young orchards 

 is a matter too little considered. In the first 

 place, tile young trees must be cultivated. Grain 

 crops are therefore always to be discouraged. 

 The most detrimental result I ever knew to follow 

 cropping, was the drying out of trees in an oat- 

 field. I have several times observed that oats 

 are liard on young trees. They grow during the 

 whole dry season, and the trees get no cultivation 

 ■whatever. After the crop is harvested, it is too 

 late to plow up the orchard. I believe that sod 

 is much less injurious to young trees than wheat 

 or oats. Trees must not be cultivated late in the 

 fall, causing them to grow late and not mature 

 their wood before winter. Putting winter wheat 

 in a young orchard is therefore especially hazard- 

 ous. In some places corn is a favorite crop for 

 young trees, because it protects them from winds. 

 When the corn is removed, however, the young 

 trees are exposed suddenly to the most severe 

 winds of the year, and they are apt to suflfer. 

 The best crop for a young orchard is one which 

 requires constant cultivation, a ricli soil, and one 

 whieli is harvested early in the season. Some 

 cro]) which requires deep culture is also to be re- 

 commended. iMost vegetables are good crops, 

 especially such as beets or carrots or potatoes. 

 After the crop is removed, the ground should be 

 harrowed down smooth. Level culture is in the 

 great majority of (?ases best for the orchard. Rid- 

 ges and depressions should be leveled and filled. 



The yoting orchard will need manure, es- 

 pecially if it be upon a sandy or gravelly soil, 

 upon which apples do the best. If the whole 

 orchard cannot be manured in ol'ie season, it is a 

 good i)lan to manure the liglitest part the first 

 year, and to make a round of the orchard, man- 

 uring as much each year as can be done with 

 little expense. Clayey soils should be made 

 porous by frequent cultivation in dry weather, 

 and liy a copious application of coarse manure' 

 sawdust, or straw. The lumps of clay should be 

 broken with a hoe in any weather. I have 

 known the most indurated' clay to become good 

 apple land in four oi five years by thorough 

 under-draining and proper care. 



SOME QUESTIONS FROM NEW ZEAI/AND. 



Charles Ryley. Taranaki, New Zealand. 



We are emerging from a dismal and unusually 

 rainy winter, and so far as it is possible to judge 

 at present, we are going to have an early spring. 

 Some of the pear trees are already in full bloom, 

 as are a few plums and cherries, and the straw- 

 berry bed is fairly dotted with flowers. I have a 

 few Irish peach apple trees in a sheltered )iosi- 

 tion, wliicii are rapidly unfolding their pink buds, 

 but the general run of apples have not yet begun 

 to show any signs of life. A few days ago I fin- 

 islied all my grafting but the apples; that is, I 

 grafted a few good pears upon quince stocks, and 

 some favorite plums upon seedling peaches, 

 wliich in this country are considered the most 

 favorable stocks for plums. 



I have been reading witli tlie greatest interest, 

 the letters in your columns respecting the advisa- 

 bility, or otherwise, of keeping the ground clean 

 and cultivated around pear trees. I have, so far, 

 ]iursued the plan of keeping the ground clean, 

 with the result that tlie trees have made a deal of 

 wood, but no fruit. But to my mind this was no 

 matter of surprise, as with my English idea.s, we 

 have no riglit to exiiect ]iears on the pear stock 

 to fruit until they havt- attained almost an in- 

 definite age; feu- the old adage says :" he who 

 jilants pears, plants for his heirs." Though I 

 cannot say that such were my intentions in plant- 

 ing, I confess I was not sanguine of reajiing any 

 early returns from that portion of inv orchard. 



Since reading T. V. Munson's letter of lOfh 

 May, I have deterinined to act upon the doctrine 

 therein promulgated, and as an experiment I am 

 getting some of my pears into tliick grass, thougli 

 1 do not quite like the idea, as I believe in man- 

 uring my trees now and again, and I do not see 

 liow I can do that very well if they are surrounded 

 by stiff sod. It may be that the ground T, V, M, 

 has to deal with is over rich, whereas, that which 

 I have is quite the coiurai-y. .\gfiiii, I do not 

 quite know what description of liliglil is referred 

 to by your correspondents. The scab blight is 

 the commonest bliglit on pears here, though the 

 scab or canker in the bark attacks some kinds, 

 more especially the Bergamot descriptions, 



I should much like to know the age at which 

 your pear growers expect their trees to begin to 

 bear. Pears on quince stocks not unfrequently 



bear here the third year from the graft, but I find 

 them very uncertain in their growth, and I do 

 not believe they would do any good here, unless 

 they were well cultivated. Heading so much in 

 your paper resjiecting the value of Paris Green 

 as an insecticide, I tlnnight to try the effect of a 

 solution of it upon tlie small green beetles which 

 every year, in the early summer, do so much 

 liarm to our jiliim and cherry trees by stripping 

 them of their leaves; but to my disappointment, 

 I find it is not known to any of our storekeepers; 

 nor is London Purple. I wonder if any of your 

 readers could inform me if a dilute .solution of 

 -Arsenic would do as well, and if so, what propor- 

 tiim it would be safe to mix it in witliout fear of 

 damaging the tree. I sliould be very glad too, to 

 know if any of your readers have hail any experi- 

 ence witli a disease that carries off innumerable 

 trees here, and which is called here, (rightly or 

 wrongly, I cannot say): "Root Fungus." I 

 believe it to be a bacterian development, attack- 

 ing the roots of fruit trees under certain undefined 

 conditions, and I have known it to carry off fifty 

 per cent of the trees in a young plantation. It 

 covers the roots and they rot, and the tree sud- 

 denly droops and dies. 



PRESERVING FRUIT. 



<.lne of the cliief causes of decay, when apples 

 or other fruit is stored, is close contact. Should 

 an imperfect apple become diseased, the disease 

 of a contagious form, and spread from one apple 

 to the otlier uniil all are destroyed. This is more 

 jiarticularly noticed with peaches and plums, and 

 it reminds us tliat more care should be exercised 

 in preserving fruits over winter. Lemons and 

 oranges come to us from foreign countries wrapped 

 in paper, and packed only in small lots. It has 

 been demonstrated that apples, wlien jdaced on a 

 shelf, each being sejiarated from tlie other, keep 

 well, and why cannot a lesson be taken from the 

 foreign nictiiods, wiiich enable fruits grown in 

 warm climates to lie safely transported to long 

 distances. When fruit is wrapped it is jiartly 

 jirotected from cold, and the difficulty from 

 freezing is not so great, but a cool jilace should 

 therefore be selected for storage. No doubt many 

 may object to the proiiosition of using so much 

 care witli fruit, but if the good quality and .sound- 

 ness results in an increased price no objection 

 should be made. 



A CHANCE. 



NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO 

 COMMENCE SILK CULTURE. 



IBSs- READ THIS THROUGH AND BE A PIONEER IN A NEW INDUSTRY, m. 



Naturp IiasKiven America such vast n:i(nr;ii rfstiiutt-s. 

 and such a viiriely of clitnute, tliut we sln.iilii l.-ad the 

 world in the prudnclinn of iiil raw niatiinil and inann- 

 factures. Evei-y year main/ miUiim.'^ i>i dnllorx arf 

 .snit (ibrond to imrchasr raw and mantij'arhiird silk, all 

 of which slKiiild be n:(aht(d at homf, and arttled to thr 

 mntfrial walth of our oum land. Experiments show 

 that (iin country, with its dry atmosphi're. is better 

 adiiptiil In thr riilhirr of' silk thitn iiiuiii/ Einopenn coini- 

 trie.s wiitr'Tk- silk has been cultivaleil for .riiturics. Tlie 

 silk w<»rin shouki never be fed damp li'aves. Here 

 beneath our sunny skies there is hardly ii day durinj; the 

 season in which dry leaves cannot be picked from the 

 trees. The culture of silk: is belter adapted to home 

 industry than any other branch of work which opens 

 as larffe a field in the commercial market, it l)eini; 

 vahiahle as a cnnimodity, ami hireelv in demand // 

 parliriifnrly conunfiids itnelr' to wouu n <i'nd rhildifn el' the 

 rural districts as an oocupali'in of inhdnimt ami iinn-al 

 beaiinfi, not requiring constant dut\ . luit fmihiiufi the 

 parde.s to pur-me their hon.'o hnhl </i(/(> \. and itisaltract- 

 luff vvidc-spn-ad attention. 



The ;;rcat drawijack Uy silk culture in the past has 

 been tlic wain of iniils to manufacture the raw iiialerial 

 —a want wlitch no loiit^er e.\ists, for at the prr.\enttime 

 200 .v/7/,- iniNs a/y in daily opeiailon, weaving last year 

 1,599.666 pounds of imported raw silk, at a cost of 

 SIO.OOO.OOQ. Baiv silk commantls from $4 to $8 per 

 pniind. aiTonlint,' to its tiiialilv. anri rnri>f,ns <i,td ft».ss 

 -•<i!k SI to SI. 50 p'M' poiiri.l. 640 u,u/i.. ,->■>/ h.> < will -^vaw 

 well on iwo a.-r.-s of land, u In.'li will yi.'ld aiioiil 30.000 

 pounds of leaves. 'Almiit siihin j)oiiiids (»f leaves are 

 required to make our i/oimd of fresh coroons, which 

 would yield about 1,705 )>"ii,\ds of fresh racoons; these 

 stifled wiaild yield aiiout 588 ;"'(0(rf«. Dried cocoons of 

 Hood (piahty arc worih S2 per pound, or $1,176, and the 

 Bivolion silk wuin produces two crojis" a year. The 

 HxitPiiscs of jirotlnciii;; a crop are as follows-— JV/^io;-, 

 SI20; oth.T cxiienses. S3I ; all not exceedinp SI60. De- 

 diictirm iliis trom SI. 176 would leave St. 016 on two 

 acres ot land in one month's lime, and two crops per 

 year can he jjroduced. 



RUSSIAN MULBERRY. 



Tills valuable fruit, timber, and ornamental tree was 

 brouKht to this country from latitude 49 degrees, West- 

 ern Russia, by the Mennonites, and is, as near as we 

 can learn, a cross between the Mnrus Nigra, or black 

 mulberry of Persia, and ihe Monis Tarlaca. a native 

 Russian varietv. The tree is a v< ry rapid groioer. Trees, 

 Ihe sffd of ivhirh irax planffil sir ij'iir\' af/o,arenoiVtweiltv 

 ,t*el in ficlfi/i(,ttnd from st.v tn f.ifiht inches in diameter, ft 

 grows to be very lart;e, often reaching the height of fifty 

 feet, and from three to five feet in diarm^ier, and is 

 perfectly hardy. The timber is hartl and durable, and is 

 used in the manufacture of cabinet ware, and proves as 

 lasting for fence i)osts as catalpa or red cedar. It com- 

 mences to bear when two >'ears old. and is a prolific . 

 bearer, the fruit being about the size of Kittaniny 

 blackberries. A very great proportion of the berries are 

 a jet black, the balance a reddish-white. Thev have a 

 fl)ie aromatic ^fiar^or and .snfi-nriii furrrt taste, and "are used 

 for dessert as we use blackberries or raspberries. They 

 also make a pleasant light wine. The trees are some- 

 times so densely loaded as to exclude leaves. The leaves 

 are mostly lobed or cut with from five to twelve lobes. 



and art- valuable food for silk worms. The bai-k is 

 !irayi-'<li-n'hitc, braTiches drooping, and the beauty of this 

 as a lawn or street tree is quite enough to commend it ; 

 but in addition to these merits it vields an abundant 

 supply of its refreshing berries. I'he Mennonites use 

 it as a hedge plant, and it makes a iieauliful hedge, and 

 stands shearing as well as any tree on the list. 



A corresponderd from Reno county. Kansas, writes as 

 follows: "Tlio Russian Mulberry ^^i-ows more and more 

 in favor with us evei.s" year H'r an- mnr lia\im,' one of 

 our severe drouths, and many ctitton-w oods are lnir?iing 

 out, while the ?nulberry, where tstablif<bed at all.nevel 

 dries oiit. Even when so dry that the foliage droops for 

 days, the first rain freshens them, and they grow again 

 ri^lii alouL.'. Thev are very prolilic bearers, and while 

 [ liH tree is small tlie fruit is not so large as on oldei' trees. 

 The Mennoidtes plant piec.s ul ground very thick, 

 which they cut off close to the ground every three or 

 four years lor fuel. 



A proniineiu nurseryman of Iowa, among other 

 things. sa>s: It is perfectly hardy, commences hearing 

 when about two \ ears ohl, and a tremendous bearer. 

 Wh do iioi hesitate in s;n-inu' thai we bcli.-xc this is going 

 to be one nf Ihe nir.st valnable limber trees for llie West 

 tlial there is; il nuikes au e.xcellent fence post that lasts 

 nearly equal to red cedar: good fire-wond; in fact the 

 timber is suitable lor almost any use a farmer will need 

 timbf-r for." 



Mr. (;. J. Carpenter, in the Qardener''s Monthly and 

 Il-iriifiiihinxt, writiLig on silk culture in Nebraska^ 

 among other tilings, says : "For the Northern states I 

 place at the head the Jins.%ian Mulberry . brought to this 

 countrv about seven years ago h.v Russian Mennonites. 



FiiiST.— Because it mperfectly hardy, and will thrive in 

 any soil. 



iSECOXD. — Jl is a rapid {irower. 



Third.— It produces large quantities of leaves, which 

 furnish silk of the^?]f.?^ quality. 



Fourth.— It produces \Uf best frvil of a\) the mulber- 

 ries and the arfait.si qunniitii of it. It can he grown to 

 the height of fort)/ ^-^and from three to five leet in 

 diameter, or can lie sht-arcil to any size you like." 



For fruit and silk the trees should be planted si.xteen 

 feet apart each way. If you have never seen tlie tree in 

 hearing, imagine 'a comjyacf, symnn'ti^ical tree, of deep 

 {freen foliage, lonibd irith friiif rr.'^rmhling the blackberry^ 

 some ripe.'somi- Inrning, siniie in a greener state. The 

 time for ripening is in .June oi- the eaily part of July. 

 No fruit collection can. he fi>n)/i/tlr ivil/ioiit soTne of these 

 tree's. The fruit can be dried, preserved, or canned, or 

 be eaten fresh from the tree. Planted now and until the 

 ground is frozen, they will be perfectly hardy. 



PRICE LIST. 



Rl'SSIAN :>iri-nERUY, l.y mail. i)iisl-i«irl :— 

 2 10 4 Inches hiah, 40 lor SI. 50: 100 for S3 00. 

 4 10 6 Inches high. 25 lor $1.25: 100 lor 54.00. 

 6 10 12 Inches high, IS lor SI. 30: 100 lor Se.OO. 

 12 10 13 Inches high, 12 tor SI.SO; 100 lor S7.50. 



SILK WORM EGGS, post-p.aid :- 



While Japanese and French Yellow, SO cents per 1000, 

 or $5.00 per ounce. 

 A complete le\t-linnk oil silk culture for 2octs. There 

 is no discount from these prices. 



Address. FARM AND GARDEN, 420 Library St., Philadelphia. 



