7
Among the Orchards of the Northwest
Timely Talks on Subjects of Interest to the Horticulturist
IIOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
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In an introduction to this
article Mr. Thornber said it
was intended as a general
guide for the many prospect
ive apple orchard planters
who have rceently come into
Washington and Oregon from
the east, or have changed their
vocation and now need defi
nite advice upon apple or
chard work. The essential
factors are well worth the con
sideration of all readers.
Hy W. 8. TIIORNBER
Horticulturist, Washington Experi
ment Station, Pullman.
LAND that is slightly higher than
the surrounding country is best
for orchard purposes, since it af
fords better drainage, thus lessening
the danger of late spring frosts and
usually provides good soil drainage.
A south or southern slope is better
for early or highly colored fruits,
while a north or northeast slope is
better for late or winter fruits.
Practically all kinds of larfd in the
tate are being used for orchard pur
poses; and while the apple Is very
cosmopolitan In Its choice, yet the
deep rich loamy or basaltic soils, free
from alkali, hardpan or substratum of
shale rock are producing the best and
most productivo trees. Very sandy,
light, dry or even rocky soils will
produce short-lived, unproductive
trees, -while heavy wet clay soils pro
duce large hardy bearing trees.
The greater part of the semi-arid
soils of Washington and Oregon, while
rich In mineral plunt foods, are fre
quently deficient in nitrogen and
humus. These deficiencies should be
arranged for If not provided before
planting the trees by means of cover
crops, green manure or commercial
fertilizers.
A good orchard soil possesses at
least three strong characteristics:
good water drainage; good texture
and plenty of available plant food.
Preparation of Uio Soil
Before starting to plant, the soil
should be deeply plowed, thoroughly
subdued In perfect tillage, as it Is
very expensive to prepare land or sub
due It after It is planted to trees. If
the orchard Is to be Irrigated, it is an
excellent plan to run the water over
the land after the trading and level
lug is done to determine If It will lr
rignte as It Is Intended.
While many orchards are being
planted on raw sage brush land and a
few on land that is not even cleared
yet. It Is the experience of the ma
jority of- our best fruit men that In
the long run it pays to till or even
crop the pond for one or two years or
at least plow under a green crop of
rye or Cunada peas before planting
the trees. .
When It iR necessary to plant trees
on poorly prepared land a small
amount of nltrnte of soda mixed with
the soil as the trcei, are being planted
adds very materially to their growth
during the first year after planting
Jin reefy Slock
Only one year old, well-grown, but
not overgrown trees should be plant
ed. Older trees Increase the cost of
transposition and planting and are
usually headed too high for the best
results.
Medium size, not too small a tree,
hns many advantages over the large
or overgrown tree. One of Its chief
advantages Is In having active buds on
the lower part of the stem from
where we desire our branches to
spring.
The difficulty of getting trees true
to name has caused many planters
to consider the advisability of grow
ing their own trees.. Where the per
son -has the necessary knowledge,
time and hind he can usually grow
trees cheaper than he can buy them,
however, this Is a business of its own
and requires more skill, time and pa
tience than the average grower can
give to It. Consequently, It Is general
ly cheaper to buy exactly what Ise
wanted than it Is to grow It.
Other things being equal, It is beat
to buy from the nearest nursery ns
the stock is usually acclimated and
better adapted to the location than
stock grown under different condi
tions. Buy only the very best; second
class stock and culls are dear at any
price and should never be used In
commercial orchards. A diseased,
stunted or injured tree rarely if ever
develops Into a first class, tree.
It matters little whether ft tree hns
been propagated by budding or by
root graflng so that it la a healthy
well grown tree. Usually a budded
tree is taller than a grafted tree, but
one is as good aB the other If the in
dividual is well grown.
Distances Apart to Set the Trees
The soil, the variety, and the sec
tion of the state , all materially aid in
determining the distance at which ap
ple trees are to be planted. In West
ern Washington and Oregon on rich
deep soil where there is abundance
of rain, large growing trees like the
Northern Spy require at least 35 feet
and should have 40 feet.
In Eastern Washington and Oregon
In sections where the trees .do not
grow so large but the question of
moisture is paramount, the trees
should be set from 28 feet without fil
lers to 35 feet with fillers. While In
inch wire rings and two pieces of light
wire, securely fasten one end of each
wire to one of the rings and the other
rings one to each of the free ends of
the wires. When stretched out these
rings must measure from center to
center exactly the same length that
the trees are to stand apart. After
the exact position of the first row !s
determined and each tree in the row
is located by a stake then by means
of the above described device a man
and two boys can readily locate the
rest of the trees by slipping a ring
of one wire over the first stake In the
row and the other ring over the sec
ond stake, then by pulling the two
wires taut by the third ring the first
tree of the second row Is located and
by changing the rings to the second
and third stakes of the first row the
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Pla
IT
Figure 1. A Good Planling Plan. Circles Represent Permanent
Trees, Dots Represent Fillers.
Figure 2. Planting Board
irrigated sections where the moisture
element is under the control of the
grower, they raaf be planted at from
25 feet without fillers to 33 feet with
fillers.
Planting Plans
There are many planting plans In
use in the state at the present time;
the square and hexagonal plans are
more commonly used than all the rest
together. Each of these plans hi
advantages that the other has not and
should be adapted to their special use.
The chief advantages of the square
plan are that when there is more
room between the rows for the grow
ing of cultivated crops and after the
trees are grown up they do not form
a canopy over the soil so early as
when planted by the latter plan. Some
growers contend that these openings
or "wells" formed by the crowns give
healthier trees and more and better
colored fruit than where these do not
exist In the orchard.
The hexagonal plan gives the great
est number of trees per acre and
equally divides the soil area and air
space among the trees. In our
opinion it la far the most satisfactory
planting plan to use for apple or
chards.
locating Positions of the Trees
After thoroughly preparing the
ground and all Is ready for planting
it Is best to locate and stake the po
sitions for the trees. This may be
done in a number of different ways;
however, for the inexperienced plant
er one of the following plans may be
best: For laying out the square and
alternate plans secure a No. 100 gauge
-galvanized wire long enough to reach
the entire length of the field; have
a tinner solder small washers on to
this wire at exactly the . same dis
tances apart that the trees are to
stand in the rows. Some planters tie
pieces of rags or wrap with fine wire
and succeed fairly well, but there Is
too much danger of these markings
slipping. Establish a base line to
work from and stretch the wire where
the first row Is to be planted. Set a
stnke 15 to 18 Inches long opposite
each wnsher or marker and move the
wire to the next row, being sure al
ways to stretch It the same each time,
thus continuing over the entire field.
If the square plan Is used this Is sim
ple enough; but if the alternate plan
is used have twice as many washers
soldered to the wire and set slakes
at alternate marks for each row, thus
avoiding pulling the wire back and
forth.
In staking for the hexagonal plan
take three two to two and one-half
second tree is located, and so fort
until the entire field is staked.
A stake about one inch square and
15 Inches long will be found very con
venient as a marker for locating trees
and If six Inches of the upper end be
dipped In common white wash It will
make It easier to see In case there is
any aligning to be done.
Digging the Holes
Bt fore digging the holes two posi
tion stakes for each tree stake by
means of a planting board. This Is a
1x4 Inch board, six feet long, with a
deep notch in the center and a shal
low notch In each end. By placing
the middle notch against the tree
stake and driving a stake in each
notch at the end of the planting board
the tree stake can be removed and
the hole dug. Then by placing the
board in position again the center
notch of the board i'iows the exact
location for the trees. ;The tree can
be planted and the board removed and
the tree will align with the rows aa
the stake did before It was disturbed.
The size and deptl of the holes de
pend entirely upon the size of the
roots of the trees. A hole less than 18
inches in diameter makes it difficult
to tramp the soil as firmly as it should
be tramped.
Fillers
Whether or not it is advisable to
use fillers in an orchard depends en
tirely upon the ability of the planter
to remove them before they do serious
If not permanent injury to the trees.
Fillers never do any damage in an or
chard until they begin to contend
with the permanent trees for food,
moisture, sunlight or space. This be
ing true, it is possible to grow fillers
in an orchard for several yean and
do no Injury, and at the same time
harvest good crops of fruit that will
help maintain the necessary expenses.
Many growers have been able to pay
for their land and all expenses of
caring for the orchard by means of
the fruit from the fillers before the
permanent trees came into full bear
ing. Any early bearing good commercial
variety of apples would make an ex
cellent filler for the orchard. Almost
any variety can be used as a filler;
however, it would be of no advantage
to use a tardy or shy bearer as a filler.
The varieties that are most commonly
used are the Wagener, Winesap (com
mon), Wealthy and Mo. Pippin. But
since the Wealthy is an early variety
in most sections of the state and not
considered a first class fruit, it Is best
not to use it. The Mo. Pippin, while
a good bearer and good shipper, lacks
quality, hence ability to sell well.
This leaves only the Wagener and
Winesap as first class commercial ap
ples that are well adapted to use as
fillers.
Pears, either on dwarf roots or as
standards, make good fillers for apple
orchards, in most parts of the state.
In sections where the peach is a
commercial success it makes an ex
cellent filler and can be used advan
tageously in this way. The cherry
should never be used as a filler for
the apple orchard since it requires
entirely different methods of cultiva
tion and irrigation.
Appreciations of
f had Rheumatism in every joint in my body tried all remedies
went to several hot springs, but only received partial relief. A
friend from 3eattle mentioned Sulphurro. I tried it and haven't had
an ache or pain since. In three days a catarrhal affection of the throat
of years standing was relieved.
N. P. R. HATCH, National, Nevada.
THE Sulphurro Baths I found especially delightful and relief-giving.
The Sulphurro foot baths seemed to drive the Rheumatism out
of my feet. H. B. PETKHHiE, Scuttle, Wash.
SULPHURRO is a wonderful medicine for Constipation and Indiges
tion. I would think it a sin not to tell of its merits.
MRS. J. R. SHARP, Mukiltco, Wash.
AFTER using Sulphurro, my hands, which for months had been cold
and numb, took on renewed circulation, and my general health Im
proved. I have returned to my work a new man.
JUDGE C. PATTERSON, Rusliville, Xcb.
I CONTRACTED Rheumatism In the Yukon, having lived there four
teen years. Nothing helped me. Coming outside to Seattle I heard
of Sulphurro and it cured me in less than a month.
W. P. BRAYTON, Bcir.ngham, Wash.
I took Sulphurro for Stomach Trouble when I lived in Seattle and it
fixed me up line, that is why I have recommended it to my friends
here. W. (i. KENT, Boston, Mass.
SulfilmiTo is nil antiseptic and germicide for in
ternal and external use By Its use the system Is
thoroughly cleansed of Impurities and germs of dis
ense. A thirty-two pnge booklet, explaining HOW
and W1IY, with each 50c and $1 bottle.
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