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APPLE CULTURE AS A BUSINESS.                       DA
northwest, both show that we need about fifty trees per acre.    This
not worry   about paying  markets. will reduce the cost to about five dol-
The question then of success in apple lars per acre for the trees. After
the
culture hinges upon   growing and trees are planted the farmer crops the
managing   the   orchard  properly. ground just the same as if he had no
There are some large orchards In trees, giving preference in rotation
Wisconsin, but scarcely one of them  to such crops as potatoes, peas, beans
is a real business orchard, founded and clover, and in a way to increase
upon   correct  business principles. the fertility of the land from year
to
They contain too many varieties, al- year.  Always give culture around
together too many sorts, as a rule.  the trees in April, May and June, but
not after July 1st. In five years the
The Business Orchard.        trees should  be worth two dollars
This is a very different affair from  each, and bear fruit.  In ten years
the home orchard. While a man may the trees will capitalize for five dol-
consult his fancy in growing many lars each for the fruit they will bear.
or all varieties for his own use, such In this way ten dollars of value per
a course would  make succotash  of acre can be grown into the orchard
the whole matter as a business enter- each year and still give the use of
prise. From a business standpoint the land for other crops.  There are
but few kinds should be grown, and many Wisconsin farmers having ex-
these always in large quantities. To cEllent apple orchard  lands, teams,
grow small lots of many  sorts and tools, and implements to farm with,
expect good profits, is to expect profit who could in this way grow  into
from hash. Not only will the market I wealth by means of the apple. And
take and pay better for good quanti- why not do it? They will farm the
ties of a few kinds, but the grower land anyway, and surely there is no
himself will learn the peculiarities of other business way of making so
each kind and be better able to give much from so slight an investment.
them the kind of care each needs. I
Each sort has its individual traits,  Give the Trees Plenty of Room.
and no man can learn those of many   Thirty feet each  way   is  near
sorts as easily as those of a few.
The aim of the grower should be to enogh for trees in the apple or-
, chard and yet it is the universal cus-
secure perfection and superior excel-
.torn to plant much closer under the
lence for whatever he grows.  Let it mistaken  notion  that trees closely
be written in letters of gold. "Any- plated  potect eh    tr.  
  This
thing well grown is half sold."     planted  protect a ectwo farm
orchards
Starting an Orchard.        of about two acres each and then
There is no waiting in the business took an inventory of the fruit trees,
orchard.  The orchard grows to the forest trees, buildings, etc. I then com-
farmer; he does not invest in it, he puted the necessary land required and
does not buy into it, he simply starts I found that it was overplanted three
right and  then  goes right along times-that there   were three  trees
with his farming, and in a few years where there was room for only one.
the orchard is there and he scarcely Such overplanting is quite as absurd
realizes that it has cost anything, as it would be for a dairyman to put
provided it is done right. Let him  three calves into a stall but three feet
devote ten, twenty, or more acres to wide and keep them there until they
the orchard and then he can buy the became cows.  I suppose it could be
trees at the lowest rates.  Let them  done, but I think the cows would be
be planted thirty feet apart each way, i rather fiat-sided specimens. And
yet
U