Establishing An Apple Orchard 



By George 



The apple is the great standard fruit and is in uni- 

 versal demand. It is no longer a luxury, but like bread, 

 has become a necessit}' throughout the months in 

 which it may now be readily obtained. 



It is not only beautiful in appearance and in its 

 many food-forms luscious in taste, but it contributes 

 much to the tone and health of the body. There is no 

 other fruit at the present time that commands such 

 widespread interest, and that is being so extensively 

 planted. 



\\'hile the apple will grow throughout a large terri- 

 tory and in a wide diversity of soils and under differ- 

 ing climatic conditions, good and high-flavored fruit 

 may be produced only in soils and at ele\-ations that 

 are well adapted to its requirements. 



SELECTION OF SITE. 



In establishing an orchard that is to be productive 

 (as it should be), for more than a century, the eleva- 

 tion should be in a range of from 400 feet to 2,000 feet 

 above sea level. The land should be rolling or sloping 

 in character, while the soil should be a strong, deep 

 loam of limestone formation. 



The elevation is important, for upon this is depend- 

 ent the health and longevity of the trees. They 

 thrive best in a pure atmosphere where there is always 

 a good air circulation and good soil drainage. On high 

 and sloping land, good natural water-drainage is as- 

 sured. This is as essential to trees as is pure air. 



On elevated sites, furthermore, there is less danger 

 from late spring frosts, for when the temperature runs 

 low, cold air moves down to lower levels, just as water 

 flows from springs, to brooks and streams below, 

 which in turn run on to still lower levels. A differ- 

 ence of 50 feet greater elevation will often save blos- 

 soms from destruction by frosts. 



Good water-drainage is very important. The roots 

 of trees must have good air about them in the soil the 

 same as do their bodies above the ground. On low- 

 level land, even with artificial drainage (which is ex- 

 pensive), the soil often becomes saturated during wet 

 spells, when fungus troubles will develop and trees be- 

 come diseased and weakened, and fail to produce fine 

 fruit — their life at the same time being measurably 

 shortened. 



Soil that will produce sixty bushels of corn to the 

 acre may be profitably converted into an apple or- 

 chard. If the field is in sod, it should be broken up and 

 a crop of corn grown, so that in the year following, the 

 land will be in proper condition for planting the trees. 



PL.VNTIXG THE TREES. 



When the trees (which should be two years old) 

 are received from the nursery, prune the roots by cut- 

 ting them back one-fourth their length, then prune oft 

 all branches excepting four, so leaving them that they 

 are separated from 3 to 4 inches on the body of the 

 tree. This will avoid crotches, which would later re- 

 sult in the breaking down of the branches. Prune the 

 ends of these four remaining branches back one-half, 

 and the tree is ready to plant. Form the head of the 

 tree 30 inches from the ground. Trees may be planted 

 in either spring or fall. 



Vigorous one-year-old trees are also desirable for 

 planting. 



If the subsoil is of a somewhat loamy character, ex- 

 ploding a half-slick of dynamite 2 feet under the soil 



T. Powell. 



will open and loosen it admirably. Another method, 

 at less cost, is to plow deep open furrows in line with 

 the stakes, when with a little shoveling out of the soil 

 the trees may be planted. 



The trees should be set 3 inches deeper than they 

 stood in the nursery. Roots should be spread, and the 

 earth pressed \-ery firmly o\er them. Every tree thus 

 planted should grow. 



THE PROPAG.VTIO.N OF TREES THROUGH SELECTION. 



It is of the most vital importance to select trees that 

 have been propagated and grown under scientific prin- 

 ciples and methods. 



In orchards of the past there was great want of uni- 

 formity in growth, form, vitality and productiveness. 

 This arose from the fact that in the selection of buds 

 for the propagation of nursery stock, no regard had 

 been paid to the individual qualities of the trees from 

 which the buds were taken, which was usually from 

 the young and immature trees in the nursery. 



Where buds are used from mature trees that have a 

 record for hardiness, constitutional vigor, resistance to 

 disease, and for early bearing, productiveness, and a 

 large degree of uniformit}' in the character of the fruit, 

 an orchard of trees propagated with buds thus select- 

 ed, and combining these necessary characteristics will 

 yield much greater satisfaction than those not posses- 

 sing such inherent qualities. 



While it is true that soil, cultivation and fertilization 

 will greatly help all trees, it is nevertheless also true 

 that trees propagated from specially selected quality 

 will be superior over a long term of years. 



VARIETIES OF APPLES. 



The success of an orchard is largel}' dependent upon 

 the selection of varieties that are suited to the locality, 

 in its soil, climate and market requirements. Many 

 of the apples of New England and the Middle States 

 are not adapted to the Southern ap])le districts. Like- 

 wise most of the apples of the South are not suited to 

 Northern sections. 



DWARF APPLE TREES. 



Except in gardcius, dwarf apple trees have not been 

 much planted. There are two types — those propagat- 

 ed on Doucin roots, known as the half-dwarf, and 

 those on Paradise roots, which is a smaller type of 

 tree. Paradise trees may be planted 10 x 10 feet, while 

 Doucin trees are planted 20 x 20 feet. 



Dwarf trees require much more labor in every way — 

 in pruning, fertilizing and in high culture. For the 

 more complete control of insects, in thinning and pick- 

 ing the fruit, and the larger number that may be plant- 

 ed to an acre, they are desirable, especial!}' for small 

 places and in suburban gardens. 



They may be used for ornamental planting in a bor- 

 der or hedge in landscape work. Nearly all varieties 

 may be obtained in the dwarfs. 



They need to be planted dceiier than standard trees. 

 The union between the bud (the point where the bud 

 is inserted in the stock) should be 4 inches under the 

 soil when planted. Dwarf trees are not generally 

 planted deep enough, for later, when bearing fruit, 

 they sometimes break off at the union and frequently 

 blow over in times of heavy wind, especially when the 

 soil is wet and soft. 



