Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-06-03
Bearing Year of Apple Trees.


The bearing of Apple Orchards in al
ternate years is so general, in all the
old States, that it has come to be con-
sidered a necessity. With some trees,
the habit is so inveterate that not a SOL
itary apple can be found upon the
branches in the u%nfruitful year. The
whole energies of the tree, and the re-
sources Of the tree seem to be eXhaus-
ted in the fruitful years, so that 1T takes
two seasons of hybernation and rest to
~recuperate The habit is a great draw
back upon the profits of fruit growing
In the abundant years, apples are cheap
and the farmer gets but a fair return for
his labor. In the scarcity year when
prices are high, he has no fruit to sell.
Some facts come under our observa-
ton that lead US to suppose that this
habit can be overcome, and that the
skillful fruit grower can rely upon a
crop of apples every year with as much
certainty, as upon any of the root or
grain crops. In the front yard OF the
old homestead, there stood an apple
tree in a deep, rich loan. 1t was keptln
grass and bore a large crop of early ap-
pies in alternate years, yielding nothing
in the interval. By the way OF expert
ment, the green sward was broken up,
and the whole yard manfred and plan
ted as a garden. To the great disap-
pointment of all the skeptic, the old
tree changed its habits and bore very
full crops two years in succession. The
yard was seeded and it relapsed, but
to bear in the years, which
would have been barren in the old or
der.
When "a young orchard is put out up
on a place of recently cleared woodland,
where there is abundance of vegetable
in the soil it bears with more uni
every year than an old orch
ard under ommon treatment in the
vicinity. Orchards planted in the
new settlement are much more produc-
tive than those in the other States for
the same reason. The trees find ali
enough in the virgin soil to ma
ture good crops every year. There has
lately been discovered in the Historical
Library, at Hartford, CT, a Gu
old document, the account book
Of Henry Wolcott, one of the first set
tlers of that State. 1t was kept in short
hand, and contains among other things,
/, record of the yield of his apple or
at Windsor, for a few years after
t first commenced bearing. In 1851 it
1876 bushels. in 1862 452 bushels,
ind in the two following years, 1927 and
1888 bushels, showing to tendency to
he alternate bearing, which now marks
Ill the orchards in that region. 1t is
interesting to find among the names Of
he apples then cultivated, Summer Pip
lin, Holland Pippin, Pearmain, and
or Belleet bonnie, varieties
till popular with the fruit growers of
.ur time.
Nothing pays better for care and at
than the apples. A single acre
n this fruit, kept in good heart, by
1anuring and cultivation, will yield
Iore profit than ten acres neglected in
he ordinary way. The only secret in
aving apples abundant every year, is
D keeping the trees clean, and in feed
1g them. lie who has plenty of muck
T. peat, lime or ashes, and stable man
re, need not go off of his own premises
find plenty of food for his efehard.-
he breaking up of the turf in an old
and the application of a COM
ost of these materials, will work Won
ers. Nothing but root crops should
yer be attempted in an orchard. The
cuit and the grain want similar %consti-
We have seen apple trees put
ack for years by a rye crop. The
resent month is a good time to begin
he work of renovating old orchards,
nd reforming their bearing habits
Dig about and dung the barren Trees
efore you decide to cut them down as
umberers of the ground."-American
l~gricuhurist,
NO naSfnnu HSEunSs