ADVICE ON FRUIT GROWING TO THE FARMERS.
The transactions of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society for 1877-8, through the politeness of the secretary, F. W. Case, have just been received. The volume contains many very valuable papers, several of them written by ladies, among them is one with the above heading, so eminently practical and so appropriate to our own circumstances, that we give the substance of it to our readers. The writer, A. J. Philips, is evidently familiar with the subject, and gives his advice from the depths of his own experience. He says,
I advise every farmer, be he farming on a large or small scale, to make an effort to raise some fruit as a source of pleasure, and profit, and comfort to himself and family.
I advise the farmers to inform themselves on the varieties that are succeeding best in the sections in which they live, then on the best mode of culture, and after this to buy their trees, and use their utmost endeavors to care for and protect them.
I advise you to be careful of whom you buy, for if you depend on the judgment of others to make your selections you will find that the men who can be fully relied on are scarce. Nurserymen are anxious to sell, and some will recommend a new variety for the sake of selling it without knowing whether it is suitable; the tree agents are wholly irresponsible, and are seeking only to make as many and large sales as possible. Last fall I met a man selling fruit trees, and notwithstanding the fact that the well informed fruit growers and the State Horticultural Society have repeatedly recommended for general cultivation nothing but the Duchess of Oldenburg and Wealthy in standard apples, and a few of the best crabs, still that man had orders for trees that he knew would not be successful in that rigorous climate, I solemnly looked him in the face and said, “You have a fearful amount of cheek to sell these trees to farmers?” “Well,” he said, “I have the trees, and the only way to get out is to sell them.”
I advise you whether you plant many or few trees, whether your soil and location be favorable or unfavorable, whether you bought the trees because you wanted them or to get rid of the agent, whenever you plant trees don’t forget to mulch them the first season, and every season thereafter. They will be more certain to live and grow and to bear fruit, and you will be the better satisfied with the result.
I advise you, after taking all this pains, to see to it that cattle and horses and sheep are not turned in to destroy them. This is practised too much, and then the failure charged to climate and other causes.
I advise you to set young trees, for they will root more readily, grow more thriftily and bear earlier than older trees. Much has been lost, and many have become discouraged by planting five and six year old trees, for they never recovered from the shock received by transplanting. I have abundant evidence of this in my own orchard, and know whereof I write.
I advise you to avoid cheap trees for several reasons; first, they are likely to be poor stock, and second, if you get them for a small price you will not take as good care of them. High-priced horses, cattle and hogs always get the best care. A farmer last fall asked me what I thought of a trade he had made, he had traded an old fanning-mill that he had not been able to give away, for fifty apple trees, after letting them stand out-doors one sharp frosty night, he had buried them for spring planting, I answered him, “you have made a trade that will be a damage to you, for with the careless treatment they have already received, no doubt many of them are dead now, and as they cost you nothing, you will not take care of them, and they will die of neglect.” He replied, “I guess you are right.”
I advise you to buy of a man who has some practical knowledge of varieties, soils and location. And buy of a man who has established a reputation for fair dealing. That course would decrease the quantity and improve the quality of this class of middlemen.
I advise you to subscribe for a good paper that devotes part of its columns to imparting horticultural knowledge; read it carefully, and when in your own experience you find anything that may be of interest for others, write it and send it to the paper for their benefit. Also pay one dollar every year to be a member of the State Horticultural Society—Fruit Growers’ Association of Ontario—this will help the Society to disseminate suitable information to the public; you will then be entitled each year to a copy of the transactions, which contain valuable reading, well worth the dollar to yourselves and families.
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