ORCHARD AND VINEYARD. Ul 



of mouths at the ends of roots will soon dissolve, take up, and appropriate 

 every particle. When cast out of the kitchen door, bones are a nuisance; 

 whereas, if properly buried, they l>ecome a source of valuable fertility. Let 

 every person who owns a grape ^-ine or firuit tree save all the bones that pass 

 through the kitchen, and bury them where they will be turned to some 

 profit 



Orchard Jlanagement— In three years, says a writer, I improved the 

 production of my fruit trees from fifteen to two hundred bushels, by treat- 

 ing them in the following manner: I first reduced the top one-fourth, then 

 in the fell I plowed the soil as well as I could, it being quite rocky, and 

 turned a short furrow toward the tree. As I worked from them I let the 

 plow fell a Uttle lower, and when between the trees I allowed the plow to 

 run deep, so that the water would settle away from them in the spring. I 

 hauled a feir quantity of coarse manure, pulverized it well, and marked out 

 the hills, measuring each hill. I planted com and beans, and harvested a 

 nice crop of com, beans, and pumpkins. The following spring I repeated 

 the same form of cultivation, and harvested the second crop of com, beans, 

 and pumpkins, which paid me to satisfection. My trees began to grow very 

 fest; and that fall I harvested seventy bushels of very good apples. The 

 following spring I manured for the third time, planted it to potatoes, which 

 grew very large, but rotted very badly. I made up the loss, however, by 

 harvesting 200 bushels of large and natural fruit. I changed the production 

 of a yellow bellflower tree from three-fourths of a bushel to seven bushels, 

 and sold them for $1.25 per barrel, which I think a very good return for my 

 labor. From my experience I am of the opinion that most trees have too 

 much top for the amount of roots and a deficiency of nourishment for pro- 

 ducing a developed fimt, I like fall or winter pruning. Always cover the 

 cut with grafting wax or a thick paint After removing the limbs by thin- 

 ning out the center of the tree, it has a tendency to make it grow broad. 



■ ' many varieties are bad, and hardy stock is all that is needed. 



Tlie Root« of Fmit Tree«._ While fmii growers are aware now that the 

 roots of trees and plants extend to a great distance, still it is difficult to 

 break away ftova the old habit of manuring about the tnmks, trusting that 

 somehow or other the fertilizer will be appropriated, and fearing that if 

 spread broadcast it may some way become lost It will be foimd difficult 

 to place manure in an orchard or vineyard where the plants will not reach 

 it, and if properly spread it will not l>e lost Should it sink into the subsoil 

 the roots will follow it and bring it back by the ear, as a teacher would a 

 truant »chool-boy. We have observed the roots of apple trees in sand pits 

 extending downwards ten feet. We recently followed the roots of an old 

 grape vine twenty feet tmder the location of a defunct building. When we 

 stopped digging, the roots were as large as a tittle finger, were four feet be- 

 neath the surface, and probably extended ten feet farther. A pile of ma- 

 nure about the base of this vine would have done but Uttle good. Know- 

 ing the extent and habit of root growtli, it is apparent that cultivation close 

 about the trunks of the trees or vines is not necessary; and is often produc- 

 tive of more harm than good in marring and breaking, besides tempting pro- 

 fanity on the part of the plowman. 



How to FertUlze Fruit Trees — Here and there on all ferms and in 

 most fiTut gardens will be seen an occasional tree or grape vine which seems 

 '■'• lack vigor— does not grow well, and yet aeema to hare no particular di^ 



