Farmers’
Club.
An unusually interesting, instructive and well-attended meeting of the
Club was held in the Academy at Homer on Saturday, Feb. 9. The meeting was presided
over by vice-president Tillinghast. Secretary Bean read a communication from
Mr. Root, who wished to make a correction in the report of his speech, in regard
to sprinkling the apple trees in the spring with Paris green [copper acetoarsenite]. It should have read, 1 tablespoonful of Paris green to 1
hogshead of water.
The topic, "Tree and Fruit
Culture," was then taken up by Prof. E. J. Peck, who said that he thought
the calling of everything an address a figure of speech, simply a testimonial
of honor and respect, and he considered his effort rather as a talk, in which
ideas were to be brought out by the asking of questions. He would be better
qualified to talk to farmers on this subject if he knew as much about it as he
loved it.
He spoke first of the
importance of tree culture. In olden times they had an inhabitant to every tree
and to every fountain a nymph, and when he sees the springs drying and the
forests disappearing, he cannot help thinking but that the ancients were much
nearer nature than we. We should think of trees as living beings, not as mere
things, and considering a beautiful damsel to be the inhabitant of every spring
is not far from the truth.
Those bare ledges which we see
upon every side, whose bareness blinds us in the glare of the sun's hot rays,
and at the same time spoil the natural beauties of the landscape, could be made
to support a luxuriant growth of trees. Many can well remember when our own
stream [Tioughnioga River] was navigable, but now it at times becomes a
contemptible brook, and when its banks are filled, it is with a rushing, mad
torrent, which carries off the rainfall and hurries it to the sea, when it should
remain in the soil and keep the roots and atmosphere moist during our heated
periods.
The waterfall is now as great,
and perhaps greater than then, but there are no trees to retain the moisture and
let it out gradually so that it may beautify everything. The wasting of forests
can be stopped it we make for ourselves this law and live up to it: "I
will plant as many trees as I destroy.'' It is all right to cut down old trees,
but they should have successors, and he believed that at the end of his life he
would leave more trees of his own planting than he had destroyed or used.
Fruit trees should be grown for
the food and shade trees for the shade they give. As agents of health, pleasure and happiness they stand paramount to
everything else. In speaking of the profit arising from this branch, he said
that any of our better sort of trees will produce as good returns, say for
twenty-five years, as any of our farming crops. He knew one that since 1840 had
produced from a chestnut grove three growths of chestnut trees, and the fourth
is about ready for cutting. If they are cut down in the winter and the stock is
kept away, the stumps will produce a new growth, each one sending up at least six
new shoots. As for the value of this wood, we all know of its utility for posts
and in finishing houses. The above treatment will not injure the tree’s life in
the winter when it is dormant, which is true of many varieties, maple, perhaps,
excepted. In ten or fifteen years each tree will yield ten or fifteen posts.
It, together with black walnut, will grow on a sandy loam.
The best way to raise a shade
tree for ornament is to plant as near from the seed as possible. On account of
the tap roots, it is quite difficult to transplant the chestnut and black
walnut after attaining a large growth, and almost impossible to transplant a
hickory, but the two former, sometimes even the latter, at four or five years'
growth, can be moved just as well as the apple. The nuts should be kept fresh,
in a moist place and where they will freeze in the winter, just below each one in
the ground placing something hard, such as a tin pan, against which the tap
root strikes, stops growing downward, but sends out little roots from its sides,
which are just what are wanted. It will neither kill nor injure the plant, for
nature, in her effort to live, sends the roots from the sides, thus giving the
large number of roots that are desirable in transplanting.
At ten years, black walnut,
having grown rapidly, become bearing trees. They can be raised here, especially
on a gravelly ground, and he had seen them in Ontario county growing spontaneously
in a clay loam soil.
As evidence that this timber
can be raised here, instances were given of finely growing trees in this
county. A grove of three hundred upon an acre of ground will in twenty years
average one foot in diameter to each tree, so it is readily seen that land now
practically worthless can in this industry be made valuable, for at the end of
ten years the land will be worth $100 more an acre.
It is less labor to grow trees
directly from the seed than to transplant. A seed-grown tree will in twenty
years overtake one transplanted, and make a better tree. Young chestnut trees should be set about eight feet apart, or twice as
thick as they are finally to stand. By thus planting, the trees will trim
themselves and grow a long body, which is what is wanted, and most varieties
should be planted with this end in view.
The yellow and honey locust are
distinct varieties, the former being a tree valuable for posts; the latter for
a hedge, and it makes an excellent one. You must not be afraid to trim this
hedge on account of hurting it, for it cannot be easily done, and the time will
come when you will wish you had trimmed it more. Trimming 50 rods a day, with
labor at $1.50, it will cost 3 cents a rod yearly to trim a hedge.
In planting or setting out
trees, fruits, etc., don't be afraid to get down on your knees and do not set
the plant in a hollow, but at the top of a mound, and press around the plant
with your hands enough to make the ground hard and firm. No stake should be
necessary, for if the plant is set as it should be it will be its own stake. The
top should…[missing a line of newsprint--CC editor] enough young buds by cutting with a spade into the ground on the
side to which it leans and pressing the dirt in. Locust seeds have a hard shell
and so the hot water treatment, by soaking this, helps the germ in starting.
Prune trees when they are small
and don't prune simply because you think some limbs should come off, but
ask yourself, why? Do your own pruning, and do not cut off any limb larger than
a fork handle or rake's tail. It is far better to leave the large lower limbs and
cut the smaller ones from them. If it is desired to grow a tree high, trim gradually
the lower limbs; if to grow a low, spreading tree, trim from the top.
Illustrating the right and
wrong in transplanting trees, the Professor mentioned an instance in which the
trustees of the Congregational church purchased several young elm trees to set
out around the church building, and he asked and obtained permission of the man
doing the work to set one of them himself. He went at it upon his knees and the
now fine, thrifty looking tree standing near the south-east corner of the Academy
building bears testimony to his skill and knowledge of transplanting, and the two
in front of the church look stunted in comparison. Never twist roots out of
shape in order to get them into a certain sized hole, for it would be far
better to cut them off entirely.
In speaking of the cultivation
of the grape, Professor Peck said that he believed the earlier varieties could,
if properly taken care of, be raised in this county. A two year-old plant is
the best for setting out, for it is more apt to have plenty of fibrous roots.
Set them about two inches from the surface, at the top of a mound, and pack the
earth firmly with the hand. The first year the plant should be cut back to one
bud. The next spring before the sap starts, cut the plant back to within ten
inches of the ground and fasten it to an upright stake, allowing only two buds
to grow. If it is a strong plant, the two shoots sent out by these buds will
make the two horizontal arms of the grape-bearing vines.
The next spring, before the sap
starts, bend them over and fasten the ends into the ground, for the grape vine
is a great pusher, and unless this is done the end buds will start first. Then
extend them in a horizontal position and fasten to a trellis, rubbing off the
buds on the lower side of the arms, thus allowing only the upper ones to grow,
which will then be from eight to ten inches apart. The arms should then be cut
back to within four feet of the upright stem, by which process three or four
upright buds will be left on each arm. The vines growing from these should be fastened
to the trellis, and the next spring these should be cut back, leaving only two
buds on each. If the plant is strong, one bunch of grapes may now be allowed to
grow on each vertical vine.
Pruning should be done in the
summer when the lateral buds start at the bases of the leaves. This bud should
be pinched off with the thumb and forefinger when its first leaf is about the
size of a quarter of a dollar. It will have to be done four or five times during
the summer, and don't be afraid to do it thoroughly, for it will not injure the
plant, but will add greatly to the size and early maturity of the grapes.
In renovating an old grape
vine, it is best to cut it back root and branch to the two horizontal arms, and
then give it the same course of treatment that was given the other in the third
year. Keep the suckers from the roots. Set the plants at least ten feet apart,
for they send forth tremendous roots and are great feelers.
Speaking of fertilizing, he said
that as to whether or not this could be done depended upon the variety. If it
is a slow-grower, it will bear feeding; if a rapid-grower, fertilizing will
send the nutriment into the stems and branches instead of into the grapes. The
soil in this section is good enough to grow the Delaware grape without feeding,
and, in fact, there is more danger in this soil of feeding too heavily than not
feeding at all. Grass should be kept away from the vines. On account of getting
the sun's rays more uniformly upon the vines and grapes, the horizontal arms should
be grown north and south.
Mr. Ballard
said that the Brighton is the best grape grown, as it is hardy and its bunches
are of a uniform size. In raising grapes it is no drawback if a man has poor
ground, and there should be as much lime worked into the soil as possible.
A vote of thanks was carried
Prof. Peck for his kind invitation and for the very intelligent, earnest and
practical address he had given those present.
At the next meeting, which will
be held in Cortland, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 23, the above subject will be
continued, but the regular subject will be "Sugar-Making."
Paris Green: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Green
Tioughnioga River: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tioughnioga_River
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