September, 1905 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



177 



" " "•' ■-* ■-•' ^- - 



The Orchard Beginning to Bloom 



Spring Plowing 



A Field of Bush Lima Beans as a Second Crop 



The tomatoes also proved a fine crop. The only difference 

 here was that they were a " little late," and I lost seven 

 instead of five cents on every crate. I commenced to hate 

 " fine crops " ; I was looking for something not so bountiful. 

 Several thousand plants of late cabbage were set out. The 

 cabbage worm, not I, got the crop. The worst were the 

 sympathetic inquiries of my city friends. It was really 

 aggravating. That fall I dispensed with the expert's serv- 

 ices. In his stead, an unassuming individual, who could 

 handle a plow and cultivator, was engaged for less wages, 

 but strict orders to follow instructions. No advice but 

 obedience was wanted. 



Profiting by my experience, I concluded, to be successful, 

 I must learn myself. The first consideration was my limited 

 space, and quite logically I decided to grow for quality, not 

 quantity. To produce something better than the ordinary 

 was the aim, and in this to receive a better price the point. 

 Having fixed in my mind what I was to grow, I spent con- 

 siderable spare time that winter with books. I soon found 

 out they treat the subject " too lengthy " for an amateur to 

 grasp. Articles on special culture, such as appear frequently 

 in this magazine, were of most benefit to me. They are 

 easily comprehended and can be referred to when wanted. 

 Insectides and fungous diseases were absorbed. Their theory 

 is far from practice. Culture and to keep troublesome in- 

 sects in check are necessary, but they do not produce results 

 beyond the ordinary. To obtain these, one must know the 

 necessary application which constitutes " intensive " culture. 



The plant food supplied each individual specie must be 

 far in excess as supplied by the ordinary grower, thus ob- 

 taining more in size, flavor and 

 productiveness than he. Start- 

 ing with proper soil preparation, 

 the supply of nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric acid and potash must be ' 

 applied in such proportions as to 

 stimulate the entire energy 

 of the plant to the utmost 

 vigor. 



The next spring the thirteen 

 acres were laid out in the follow- 

 ing manner : 



Eight acres were devoted to 

 vegetables. 



One acre (alongside a brook) 

 seeded in a permanent pasture. 



Four acres planted out in a 

 mixed orchard. In young fruit 

 trees, only carefully selected 

 stock of extra quality was con- 

 sidered. They were set out: 



Spraying the Trees in the Orchard 



Peaches : Wheatland, Elberta, Triumph. 

 Japanese plums : Satsuma, Wickson, Burbank, Abundance, 

 Simoni. 



European plums: Claude de Bavay. 

 Prunes : German and Hungarian. 

 Pears: Anjou, Angouleme, Bartlett. 



Trees were set out eighteen to twenty feet apart, correctly 

 trimmed back. All thrived. Leguminous crops, such as 

 bush beans and peas, were planted between the trees the first 

 three years, and after gathered in, plowed under green, the 

 humus so obtained and nitrogen made available forcing the 

 building up of the wood structure. Peaches treated this 

 way showed a yearly growth from three to three and one- 

 half feet. They were carefully sprayed, cut back and thinned 

 out to proper crown formation. Every spring peach trees, 

 at their first bearing, were thinned out by hand to one hun- 

 dred and twenty-five peaches per tree, allowing fifty more for 

 each year. Result, twice the size ordinarily obtained. 



Plum and pear trees received the same attention. Care 

 was taken at planting time to set out the trees in alternate 

 rows, so as to obtain perfect fruit blossom pollenization. 

 Between some pears and plums the ground was used to plant 

 a large strawberry. At the first crop the size was found 

 satisfactory, but not the flavor. Seeds of the small but 

 highly flavored German forest berry were imported, plants 

 grown from them and set out in the beds. Through the 

 cross-breeding the size was retained and the flavor so im- 

 proved that as much as thirty-five cents per quart for 

 " fancies " was obtained. 



In vegetables three acres of one-year-old Palmetto roots of 



asparagus were planted; rows 

 six feet apart, stools three feet 

 in the row. They were put under 

 " intensive " cultivation. Be- 

 tween the rows, for two years, 

 light crops of peas, beans, celery 

 and lettuce were planted, so the 

 loss of ground during the non- 

 productive period w as very 

 slight. Contrary to usage, they 

 were cut first time four years 

 after planted, or five years old. 

 The results obtained fully war- 

 ranted the prolonged idleness. 

 The plants showed such vigor as 

 to reach a height of nearly six 

 feet one month after eight 

 weeks' cutting. 



Of late only imported French 

 early Argenteuil asparagus is 

 grown. Seed is imported and 



