Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-03-20
THE GROVE, West Northfeld, H., !


March 7, 1868.
SUEL FOSTER, President Farmers Club,
Nuscatine. IopG.
My DEAR SIR TO encourage a good be-
ginning in good work, and your labors for
the improvement Of North W estern Pomol-
ogy, Ireply briefly to some of your questions,
though am in no mood for writing.
THE APPLE ORCHARD.
lst. do not think we can now determine
the best varieties for this region and yours.
We must have ten years m ore trial, Of many
sorts, before We can form correct judgment
as to their adaptation, and that, too, on
rarious soils, weH uNDERDRAINED. In my
opinion, founded on observation, the condi-
ton of the SOIL and especially as to drain
age, has more to do with the hardness of
varieties of apples than any normal condition
of climate north of 40 deg. in the prairies of
the West. will mention few sorts that
have given reasonable satisfaction here, but
please understand that we have not had all
the we'll known varieties in bearing yet, and
some few that have borne well are not true
to name. All hardy sorts are noted.
Red Astrican, when stock worked bears
eafly and well-not SO root grated; Red
June; Early Harvcst, often rather shy
bearer; Keswich Codlin; Sopson, often
water cored; Early !Sueet Bough, little
tender; Williams Favorite; Duchess Of
Oldenburg; Fail Vine; Fail Pippin, ten
der; Jersey Street.; Lyman's Pumpkin
Sueet, tender; Maiden's Blush; Northern
Sweet; Golden SVeet, of Autumn (?) !:
Sueet Pippin, (spice sweet,) very tender ;
BelIHower, white; Belfoaoer, yellow; Fa-
mense, snow; Jonathan; Ladies Saceet !;
Peck's Pleasant; Pomme Griss; Rhode
Island Greening, rather tender; Standard
though no better than second rate, this,
when highly cultivated, is an early and
enormous bearer, and more profitable than
any other winter apple in our region; Tul-
man >,Deet; Wagoner, fpromises we'll !;
Winesap; Harrison, always good bearer,
and when highly cultivated and the fruit Of
full size, it is capital for eating late in the
season.
2. What age to plant
Three years old buds, or four years old
root CRAFTS perhaps year older when near
at hand, or year younger when brought
from a long distance but the first is the
best age in general.
8. What varieties have proved tender?
This question cannot be answered salts
factorily, as in no two orchards, hereabouts,
or so far as have information, has the in
jury been anything alike in apparently like
circumstances. Holland Pippin, Sweet
Bough, Fall Pippin, Lyman's Pumpkin
Sweet, Baldwin, English Russell and r. I.
Greening have suffered lost in our orchard.
In the Nursery, some of the same have es-
capped injury, though us rule, perhaps,
these varieties seem to be rather tender in
both places.
4. What proportion of trees in bearing
have been killed?
In our grounds about one-eighth; in 9TH
ers one-f0urth or m0re-ln some few rare
instances nearly one-half, the average less
than one-fourth In this estimate include
those partly alive, but not worth preserving.
5. Profit Of orchards on dry, rolling prai-
RE?
An apple orchard in proper soil, properly
planted and cultivated, will pay for itself in
from six to eight years, provided most Of
the trees are of the best early bearing vari-
cites. And for the next ten years an aver
age profit of $25 to $50 per acre may be
! counted on with reasonable certainty. Be-
yond that we cannot judge from our ewn
experience, but are warranted in expecting
an increase of the annual average. l have
certainly known instances in this region
where the valse of the apple crop has been
doub.s ny estimate in favorable seasons,