Litchfield enquirer., 1851-04-24
LITCHFIELD ENQUIRER
For the Enquirer.
CULTIVATION OF FRUIT.

Inc CULTIVATION Oh IfuILS knowing L0aL ma
ny of your readers will find nothing new
in the results Of my enquiries and limit
ed experience, but believe it is SUBJ
ject, the Importance OF which is generally
undervalued, and which can only be
made to receive the attention it deserves,
by being kept before the public mind
until it is clearly understood, and its
claims recognised. 5a -- t-
The Apple is by far the most valuable
of all the fruits in our climate, and as it
has been. will continue to be principally
cultivated, both for home use and for
market. need not stop to prove that
the raising of good apples is profitable.
It will be conceded that such apples at
two shillings bnshel. (Which is not be-
low the average price in the FalD will
pay well, when an acre of ground can be
easily made to produce eight hundred
bushels of fine Baldwin. Apples every al
ternate year, and this without any de-
triment to root crops upon the same
ground. There are farmers in our own
county who derive greater income from
their small orchards than from any other
one article produced upon large farms.
The early apple orchards of New Eng.
land were mostly Seeding trees. This
was unavoidable at that time, when graft
my was little practiced, and grated trees
difficult to be procured. They grew
thrifty in the new soil, and bore fruit
ahundantly, though generally Of inferior
quality, until from neglect and old age
hey are now covered with moss and de.
laying, producing but little fruit and that
lealIy worthless. But few Of the origi-
nal orchards in this county l should con-
slider worth grating. believing it would
De far better to cut them down and to
,e, cut new orchards. There are some
times old trees in the vicinity of our
houses Of barns which, owing to the rich
>oil or sheltered situation, have withstood
+; better The effects of age, and these it
night te well to graft. An orchard
which s,as not been planted out more
han thirty years is usually in good con-
li,ion for grating, and farmer who has
UGH trees may consider himself fortu,
rata. ......... ........... ...-....
The interior and western parts Of the
ale of New York, and the State Of
r,ho. are greatly IN advance of US in the
,ultivat'nn Of good apples, not SO much
rom their superior soil as is generally
opposed, as from the fact that very ma
y Of the filsr settles planted oat grated
ree<. OF grated their young Seeding
rees with scions OF choice varieties sent
20 them by their friends At the East.
Hence it is that our cities depend in q
great degree upon the West for apples,
large quantities of which are exported.
TIE western apples are more sho,ey look
iny than our own of the same kind, but
in point Of high flavor are much inferior.
In regard to grating. the common
cleft mode of grating is best adapted to
large trees, but good judgment should
DO used 10 selecting the proper branches
which should not be above two inches
and a half in diameter. A tree should
not be deprived of all its old branches
Immediately after grating. but they
should be taken of gradually in three
or four years. An excellent method Of
grating old trees is to commence with
the top Of a tree. grating one third Of it
the first year and following the branches
downward: one third the next season,
completing the tree the third year.
The FIRST enquiries of farmer about
setting out an orchard are, in respect to
the situation and soil. It will be found
| most convenient to set the summer vari-
| cites near the dwelling. both as afford
ing better protection against the depre-
lat,ons of the lawless. and as being easy
If access when needed for cooking or for
eating. All summer apples are best
when Is ken fresh from tie tree.
| For the principal orchard which will
consist Of the Fall aud Winter varieties,
1t is well to select place near the dwell>
ing house, as a well kept orchard is al
ways handsome feature in the grounds
about our residences, but the soil is first
TO be considered. Any soil will answer
Tor apple trees that is not too retentive
Of moisture. but l believe a grayelly or
clayey loan is most to be preferred. In
other words, soil that is best adapted
for raising Indian corn is that upon which
apple trees would thrive best and the
fruit reach the highest perfection. IT,,
however, such soil is not afforded up
on the farm, let ground be chosen which,
lying above the level of land adjoining.
can. if necessary. be well drained. In
deed, such are the modern facilities for
thorough undertaking. and such its ef-
fects. that the character Of the coolest
and scurest soil can be entirely changed
by means Of il at small expense.
In New England south eastern as
pect Ia, to be preferred. and at least a
southern exposure should be obtained if
Ipossihle. The redest apples upon tree,
that Is those upon which the sun has
shined most are always the highest IA
vOred. The trees should be planted two
rods apart in rows. which VIII make forty
trees to the acre.