Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-04-17
THE APPLE,

MR. -GENTLEMEN -
THE APPLE,
On account Of its hardness, the
Egreat facility with which it is grown,
land the various uses it subserves, must
|continue to be pre- emnently tie stan
dard frat Of Northern latitudes.
It is much to be regretted that the
late disastrous winters have operated
as Encouragement to the culture Of
/ this indispensable fruit. The profess
sional Pomologist, however, finds in
these misfortuncs greater inducement
to renewed exertions in prosecuting his
favorite business.
We were pleased to notice that our
worthy President has made an impor-
tant inquiry Of the fruit growers Of this
State, viz !" what proportion Of trees
in the bearing orchards in your vicinity
have winter killed?' We contempla
ted asking similar Information from
uour Friends in Ohio. Itwould certain
y be interesting to ascertain how much
the apple crop throughout the West
viii probably be diminished during the
next FIVE or ten years, and how much
the price will be advanced in conse-
quence Of the extensive destruction Of
bearing trees.
Weregard these circumstances, taken
in connection with the probable demand
for apples, resulting from the rapid
prospective accessions TO our popula-
ton, as affording great encouragement
for planting orchards and the immedi-
ate production of this valuable fruit.
The fact that these disastrous conse-
quences extended to the orchards of
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio-regions
which have possessed enviable reputa-
tons for their fruit products during the
last half century-affords abundant rea-
son why we should not distrust our eli
mate for the production of the finest
apples.
An article describing fruit culture in
Champaign county, one hundred and
twenty miles south Of Chicago, says !:
"The tributaries Of the Vermillion,
which drain the eastern part Of this
county, have been long known for the
abundant apple crops grown by the
early settlers, and, until the winter OF
1856 supposed the trees to be perfectly
hardy but the severe frostof that long
to be remembered winter destroyed a
large per centage Of the apple orchards
Of this county," The writer further
says: '"We think this county must take
a fair stand in regard to the culture Of
apples, peaches, and to some extent,
plums, pears and the cherry"
tits not improbable that Champagne
county, as well as extensive other por-
tions Of the West, will require from FIVE
to ten yeats to be able to produce the
maximum quantity Of apples which was
grown previous to 1856.
It is we'll to note the extreme hardi-
ness Of particular varieties, as indicated
by the unprecedented effects of the past
winters, but we would not wholly dis
card such worthy, and hitherto hardy
varieties as Rambo, White Bellfower,
Rawles' Janett, &C.,
The idea. that this country is not des-
tined to produce the apple in luxurious
abundance, and Of the highest excel
lence, is altogc her inadmissibfe, and
hence arises the Importance in respect
to its culture.
How TO PLANT. Prepare the site Of
the orchard BY trench blowing or sub
soiling. Open wide and deep holes
and Eli up with surface soil to the prop
er depth to receive the tree. Draw the
roots out in their natural position, and
fill all the interstlces between them with
fine garden soil SO as to leave no air
spaces. Plant the same depth the tree
stood before removal. Some nursery,
men recommend deep planting, and
small trees are, perhaps, more likely to
grow the first season, but will not -four
ish afterward, while larger trees are
nearly ruined by it.
WHEN TO NT.-The apple may
be planted either in Spring or Autumn
the only danger is that spring planting
may be followed by severe summer
drought, and autumn planting by an
unusually severe winter the former
should be guarded against by cultiva-
ton and mulching, and in autumn
planting a good mound Of earth should
be thrown up around the trunk Of the
tree to protect the roots and prevent its
being thrown by frost. The orchardist
must assume some risks, and If he
should lose few trees he should not
relinquish either spring or autumn plan
ting. He will lose time if he does, and
time is a chief requisite in Horticul-
ture.
WAR SIZE TO PLANT, AND AFTER
TREATMENT. We should say, large or
small, as best suits the purpose Of the
individual. 1t is idle to talk about the
uncertainty of planting bearing trees,
or the great injury resulting to the lon
gevity Of such trees by removal.
Our experiencein this climate caused
Us long since to adopt the maxim that
Ga comparatively slow but vigorous
growth is essential at the West
The practice Of forcing trees in the
nursery to obtain a marketable size in
two or three years, is incompatible with
the hardness requisite for this climate,
nor would We recommend hoed crops
for q young orchard as being likely to
induce too vigorous a growth, thereby
greatly endangering the longevity Of
trees, as has been witnessed in the two
past winters.
We prefer planting in meadow, and
melting out just the amountof cultiva-
ton necessary to keep the tree in the
sara,r NY