Horticultural.
!&■
W. II. RAGAN,
CLAYTON, IND.
HIGH vs. LOW HEADS FOR FltUIT
TREES.
shall be glad to get the views of the readers of the Rural World in regard to the
system of heading apple trees here recommended."
At the proper height (which should
not be less than five feet) for the formation of the top, allow the tree to form permanent branches. The same upright leader should be preserved, allowing the less
vigorous and horizontal branches to form
the top, always removing strong growing
rival branches, which are apt to make
splitting forks. Hold on to the spurs and
less prominent branches of the body, until the top is completely formed and the
tree sumciently vigorous to over-grow the
wounds without leaving the body full of
dead wood. Do not suffer the formation
of too many branches, as they will become
crowded as the tree grows older. When
trees are so formed, a very little annual
pruning, which may generally be done
with a pocket-knife, will be stffficient.
Perhaps a branch when neglected may
break with its load of fruit, when to remove it, a saw will be necessary. The
wound should be painted to preserve the
wood from decay. I think trees suffer less
from the removal of large branches, when
the operation is performed in open weather, during the winter season. Horticulturists differ on this question, and I shall
not urge any theory; only to say, (all other
things Doing equal) it is the season of most
leisure, and therefore most convenient.
We make the above extract from the last
Annual Report of the Indiana Horticultural Society, and is part of a paper on the
apple, contributed by myself to that Society. Corroborative of the views here expressed, which are only the result of long
and careful observation, we publish the
following, copied from Colman's Rural
World. We, however, think the writer is
mistaken in starting his branches twenty
inches apart.   That is too wide:
"To form the head of an apple tree
properly, is a nice operation. From large
observation, we are satisfied that the general system adopted is an erroneous one ;
for in many years past, the system of forming low heads has Deen recommended, but
experience has demonstrated that low
heads are not the thing—that the lower
branches don't produce the fruit; that the
fruit needs the air and the sunlight, and
the best is produced on the higher parts of
the tree. In planting trees now, experienced orchardists recommend that the
lower branches should not be permitted to
start nearer the ground than five feet, and
then many varieties will run their branches to the ground before they are ten years
old. _ But the great error in the early
pruning of the tree is; in cutting off the
stem to force out the side branches. This
is recommended by most of our pomological writers. We are a convert to the
straight-stem system.   The stem should be
Sireserved as the base for the branches,
tun out the side branches from this stem,
beginning not nearer the ground than five
feet. Start one branch about this distance
from the earth and about twenty inches
above this, and on another side of the
stem, start another branch (that is, preserve one), and twenty inches above this
preserve another; and so continue till you
have the desired number of branches—say
some five or six—rising one above another,
forminga symmetrical, well-balanced head.
As thc branches grow,* they will fill up all
the space, encircling the tree the proper
distance. There will now be a proportion
to the branches; a base for them; and they
will rise one above another, for air and
light and sunshine, and the fruit produced
will be large and uniform. Now there will
be no branches breaking from the body of
the tree, each branch bears its proper proportion, and the tree is healthier, tougher
and in a more natural condition.
To have the least trouble and the highest success, the straight-stem should be
preserved in the nursery.   Most nurserymen cut off the stem to force out side
branches, and they thus start too near the
ground.   The better way is, to let the tree
take its natural course.   An apple tree two
years old is better for planting, where the
straight stem is desired, than an older tree,
as it is more easily trained and the stem
?better preserved.   Not one tree in a hun-
tdred that is not planted, is trained in the
jway here recommended; but we are satis-
jfied it is the proper system to adopt.   We
" Lux," in Western Rural, is responsible for the following. He is, perhaps, correct in his statements of facts and figures.
Yet we would disabuse the public mind, of
that erroneous impression that he would
sell for as much as a bushel of corn, and
give from two to three thousand quarts to
the acre, and at less expense for cultivation, we prefer to raise berries and buy
corn. When we can make as much money
on four acres raising fruit as a man can
on eighty acres raising grain, we prefer to
let those raise grain  who are partial to
faining a living by the fullest extent of
row-sweating.   Three or four months of
each year devoted to fruit growing, and
STUMP-THE-WORLD PEACH.
make in regard to the responsibility of a
fruit-grower. He would have us believe
that about four months of the year would
complete thc labors and toils of the fruitgrower, and that we might "lie in the shade
or visit our neighbors " the remainder of
the year. No occupation imposes more
constant care, and attentive, intelligent,
well directed labor than that of the fruitgrower^ Yet it is not that drudgery, or
exhaustive toil, that characterizes so much
of our farm labor. One of the chief causes of failure, on the part of so many that
have embarked in the fruit business grows
out of this erroneous impression, that it is
an occupation of ease, comfort, and remuneration, and that all that is necessary is
to "embark," and frequent harvests of
plenty, will be the result. It is similar to
other occupations in having a "seed time,"
a time for cultivation, and sometimes a
harvest time. "Lux" evidently wishes to
monopolize the business in his section,
as he is careful to caution "settlers'
against coming amongst them:
"It may not be uninteresting to your
readers to learn that the fruit crop of Union county will be worthy nearly as much as
usual. We realize on about one-fourth of
the usual crop of strawberries about one-
half as much net profit as we would have
done had we harvested a full crop. The
blackberry crop was heavier than usual,
and is one of the most profitable crops
grown ; fromthree-fourths of an acre one
man has realizedaa net profit of over $400.
The apple crop is not quite as heavy as
usual, but will bring twice the average
price. Peaches, although not half a crop,
are selling rapidly for shipping at $(! per
bushel. Grapes have no promise of being
of much value this year; but pears and
quinces will yield nearly double the usual
quantity, and if they command as good
prices as other fruit, in proportion, the
fruit will be quite as valuable as in average years.   When a quart of berries will
marketing the products, is sufficient for
us. The balance of the time we may lie
in the shade or visit our neighbors or travel
around the world. We are not anxious
for any more settlers here, as we don't
want the business overdone. Our crops
will all be in the market and accounts
settled by the time Northern peaches come
in market, and we are satisfied with the
profits."
TO
MEMBERS OF INDIANA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
We publish the following correspondence for the purpose of correcting an
erroneous impression that prevails to some
extent among members of the Horticultural Society, in regard to the action of the
State Commission of _ Public Printing.
The extravagant, I might say reckless,
manner is which our public printing has
been done in the past, is sufficient excuse
for the somewhat strict manner in which
this committee has criticized the matter entrusted to their care. We think our Secretary, can get in whatever matter may
be of interest, or of permanent utility :
Clayton, Ind., January, 1,1871.
Hon. W. W. Curry, Sec. State, Indianapolis:—!
called at your office some timo ago to see you in
regard to our society printing. I would call your
attention to the fact that the Indiana Horticultural Society differs from other public institutions in one essential particular. It Is organized
for the sole and only purpose (aside from that of
mutual association) of disseminating knowledge
of horticulture amongst the people, while a mere
business reportof an organization like that ofthe
State Board of Agriculture, or of the benevolent
institutions would be entirely satisfactory, and
Indeed is all that the public desires to know, yet
it would fall far short of the object in the case of
I. H. S. This organization lias, indead, no business
to transact, except that necessary to the maintenance of the society, hence a business report, such
as our last volume presents; can only be an absurdity, falling far short of the desired end. A
full report of the discussions is very desirable.
What Mr. A. or Mr. 15. says in regard to certain
varieties will go far toward determining tlie
character of trees and plants, to be cultivated by
the reader.  I have no particular object in saying
to a society composed of a few fruit-growers, all
equally as well posted as myself, that Wilson's
Albany Strawberry is the most valuable variety,
or that Juc-unda is worthless, but if tills information is published tlie public Interest ls advanced.
I commend tlie spirit of economy that prompted
our Last Legislature to the appointment of a
court, of censorship, composed of yourself and
theGovernor.whose duty it should be to strike
oti from our liill of expenses, as well as from the
public inspection, that vast amount of mere verbiage that lias heretofore characterized our public printing, hut at the same time would cite you
to our part published records for tlie evidence t hat
I. H. S. lias only published matter of value.
Hoping that yourself and his Excellency, the
Governor, may lie able to see the propriety and
justice of our claim to public patronage and that
you may at an early day forward me your decision in this matter, 1 am with much respect,
W. H. Kaoas, Sic.
Friend Ragan .-—Your letter concerning the report of the Indiana Horticultural Society is re-
ceieved.   In answer, I have to say:
1. Neither Governor Hendricks nor myself,
find the suporintendance of the public printing
a pleasant affair. Everybody is in favor of economy in others, but nobody wants the pruning
knife applied to his own department. And Just
such claims for special exemption as yours, come
to us from all quarters, until we feel like letting
eacli one print what lie pleases.
2. Mr. Kingsbury seems strangely to have misapprehended our requirement as to what matter
should be excluded from his report, and hence
greatly misrepresents us. We did not undertake
to limit tlie size thereof, or to say precisely what
should or what should not go in. What we told
him was precisely what I have told you in conversation ; we desired him to exclude all mere
formal or routine business, and while preserving
ail that was of value, to make it as compact as
possible. If the discussion of fruits is valuable,
why, put it in; but surely the adjournment from
morning to afternoon, the appointment of temporary committees, or tlie introduction of a visitor, is not of sucli public importance as to be put
into a book, and printed at the expense of the
State Treasury.
.'*. That you may know precisely what we
mean, I send you one of your reports for 1870, in
which I have penciled those portions which seem
to me utterly useless. It may seem to you a
small matter, and yet it makes one twelfth of the
book, and it is the accumulation of these small
matters which make tbe great ones. Tlie Governor and Secretary are not "censors" of the
printing. We are only authorized to order the
printing of what is required for the "public service ;" aud we ask you only to put such matter
into your report. >V. W. Cukky.
 • *
Experience in Grape Culture.—I
planted in the spring of 1870, 1636 Concord, 100 Hartford Prolific, 100 Ives Seedling varieties. Soil of moderate fertility,
being clay loam with clay sub-soil, and
would grow probably fifty or sixty bushels
of corn per acre. I plowed as for corn, and
checked the ground four and six feet. The
vines of two years growth being trimmed to
three or four buds and roots shortened to
eight or ten inches, cut smooth from the
under side. I then, with the hoe, enlarged
the intersections of rows sufficiently to receive the roots in their natural position,
then with the hoe, pulled the fine earth on
and around the vine, working the soil under and among the roots with the hand,
leaving the vines about two inches deeper
than they were in the nursery. This is a
very fast way of setting vines or trees, and,
I think, as good as any on our soil, when
one is not very particular about having
them in a perfect line. I tended them the
first year about the same as corn, plowing
three or four times and hoeing once. I
pruned none until the following February,
when I cut all the sprouts off but one or
two of the strongest, and cut them back to
two orthree buds. I let from two to four
sprouts start, according to strength, and
trained two canes to a stake for bearing,
and layered the others. The result of the
second year was two canes to each stake,
six to eight feet high, and 1GO0 well rooted
vines, which were planted in the spring of
1872, and are now ready for a crop next
summer. In February of 1872, I pruned
off all the latterals and main vines to from
three to five feet, according to strength. I
cultivated with double shovel and one
horse harrow, being very careful to plow
shallow, and kept the vines tied securely
to stakes with twine. The result of the
third year, was five tons of grapes, (which
sold in Indianapolis at five cents per pound,
—$500, on a fraction over one acre,) and a
vigorous growth of wood; with the exception of Ives Seedling, which yielded but a
small quantity of fruit and made a very
slender growth of wood. I don't like it
as a market grape. I got no fruit last year
in consequence of the severe cold of last
winter, which killed the fruit buds, but
left plenty of the smaller buds from which
sprung a good growth of wood, which was
pruned last November and taken down and
slightly covered with earth.
Will some experienced grape grower
please tell me just what time in the spring
to take up these vines; whether before the
buds swell or after; and whether I shall
tie them up to the stakes immediately on
uncovering them, or would it be better to
let them lie on the ground for a few days ?
G. W. Blue.
attention.   We therefore give the following as an item of interest to all who desire
information on this subject:   "Vegetable
life depends as much on vital functions
for its preservation as animal  life.    But
the way trees are  treated  ordinarily,  in
their removals from one location to another, indicates a very limited knowledge of
physiological laws.    Plants repose at night
like higher  organizations, waking in the
sunlight of morning, invigorated and refreshed.     Through    the    long,    tedious
months of winter, they sleep profoundly.
While the leaves are green and vigorously
performing a series of labors, preparations
are made for a coming season of cold, ice,
snow and other influences which reduce
the vital force to the lowest point without
destroying it.   That is the best time in the
life  of a  treo for transplanting it.    That
business is admirably managed in France
They don't think of waiting for a mere
stick to grow into a broad, speading tree.
No, they select splendidly developed trees,
with waving  branches,   and   place them
where their grand appearance will be admired.   In the squares of New York, the
Park Commissions are now pursuing the
proper and only promising plan of success
by bringing in from the country well grown
trees, dug up out of the frozen ground,
with all the roots covered with two or three
feet of the earth in which they grew.    Being set out in their new positions, the cardinal bearings being the same, in the spring
they will rouse up like refreshed laborers,
and bud and blossom as they did before.
That is the true system.   It may be accomplished at any period if the roots are never injured or exposed but clothed, thickly
and securely, with their own attached soil.
Never cut off a limb or a twig till  they
have a secure foothold.   Leaves are the
breathing organs of trees.   Most persons
make a fatal mistake in  trimming trees
when transplanted.   They die because they
cannot breathe, oxygen being thrown off
and carbon absorbed from the atmosphere.
—Scientific American.
 ~m	
Remedies for Rabbits.—The following, from Purdy's Small Fruit Recorder,
is an effectual remedy against rabbits, but
we would caution our readers against raising it where dogs are plenty, as we have
known instances where they have committed sad havoc amongst trees so treated, by
gnawing them, and besides, rancid grease
may be objectionable if administered too
liberally. The easiest, cheapest, most effectual, and least objectional remedy we
have tried, is blood, administered during
the winter, as occasion may require, it being washed off by heavy rains, when it
should be renewed. Dilute the blood with
warm waterto keep it from forminga clot,
and apply with a swab made by tying corn
husks to a stick or cane:
"I have read many inquiries in your
columns for a specific to prevent rabbits
from barking young fruit trees. I have also read many answers to those suggestions,
and all the remedies are objectionable, and
some impracticable where many trees or
young hedges require protection from rabbits. Allow me to give your enquiring
correspondents a remedy more simple than
all others, and one that I have tried for
several years, and found entirely satisfactory in every case. It is this: Take a
bacon skin, or piece of pork, (more rancid
the better,) in_ one hand, and grasp thc
young sprout with the other. Commence
at the ground and smear the grease upward
far enough to be out of reach of rabbits.
Do this thoroughly, and the trees aro safe
during the winter. For larger trees I
recommend a paint brush and a pan of old
grease. Cannot some one'giyea sure remedy for striped bugs on vine? I have
tried Paris green and lime, and find it will
not do. I find many recommendations of
lime, salt, etc., for worms and bugs in
your columns, all of which I havo found
dangerous to my plants, and shall use no
more of them."
* Transplantation op Trees and
Shrubs.—The transplantation of trees and
shrubs is of so much importance and yet
so little understood that anything that
throws light on the subject is worthy of
Lye for Apple Trees.—We notice a
great deal of questioning as to whether
strong lye from wood ashes can be used as
a  wash for destroying insects on apple
trees.   We wish to state, if it will be any
benefit to the public, that we have an orchard upon which we have used strong lye
washes for thirteen years.    The application
was made every year, between the middle,
of May and first of July  in order to destroy the bark lice.    It has accomplished,
fully the purpose for which it was used.
and the orchard is considered the finest^
collection   of apple   trees in  tho   town.
The trees are thrifty, bear every year, arid'*
are almost free from lice.—Ohio Fttrm/r. \
t^Of
fA