Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-25

'erieace,) in response to an inquiry from a
committee appointed at the last State Fair
to collect such information from all parts of
he State. 1t will be found of much interest
% all ut-raisers.-Ed. Jour.
The Apple.
BY DIR. JAMES WEED.
JAMES SMITH, Esq, Chairman Fruit Com
mittes State agricultural Society:
Dear Sir IL had in my collectio on in the
winter Of 1856, about three hundred va
rieties OF the apple, the most of which shew
cd no injury from the severity OF that me-
lnorable season. attributed my immunity
from more severe losses principally to hav-
ing some years previously adopted the prac-
tice of cultivating my trees but moderately,
to secure their hardihood, and partially to
the use of Seeding stocks. From my limi.
ted experience, would recommend the gen.
eral cultivation of the following varieties {:
Benoni, Maiden Blush,
Jonathan, Carolina June,
Pearmain, Wild. Seeknoturth'r,
Early Harvest, Summer Pearmain,
Smiths Cider, Early Pennock,
Fall Tine, Newark Pippin,
Red Astrachan, Famaese,
Summer Queen, White W. Pearmain,
Roman Stem, Winter Sweet Paradise
Duchess of Oldensburgh, Pregor's Red.
have other varieties which | would in
clude in the above list, but have not proved
THAR unnA cu01itia, a. &c
time to confirm my favorable opinions.
Yellow Beethoven, Wine Sap and Cart
house have been very hardy, and are great
tavorltes with some persons, but the former
think a tardy and shy bearer, and the two
latter are deticien in that high flavor which
is essential in first class apple. If con-
fined to twenty varieties, would strike
off from the above list Red Astrachan, Sum
mer Queen, Famaese and Smith Apple,
and substitute Sugar Loaf Pippin, Golden
Sweetng, Brawles Jannett and Green New
ton Pippin.
Ihave but little practical acquaintance with
orchard growing upon the open prairies.-
| have one located on what was originally
small prairie, surrounded by hazel brush
and oak grub land, the soil unlike the latte
in appearance, and much like that of the
wide prairies. This orchard has done well,
except when in some seasons it has been too
wet, and l am decidedly of the opinion
that orchards will succeed finely on the
open prairie, if the soil is properly UNDER
drained, and too rapid growth is not en-
couraged.
would form the heads of orchard trees
from three to six feet from the ground, &C.
cording to the habit of the variety, whether
upright or dropping. Trees with low heads
do not think bear as early, if as WE'LL as
when trained at a Convenient height. Moth
ing short of hurricane will blow down apple
trees when grown in open exposure on good
Seeding stocks, and in dry ground, while
we have had strong low branched seed
ling peach trees turned over as far as their
branches would let them, by high winds,
IN soil so wet as to present something like
the consistency of very rich soft soap
Trees in such sill might as we'll be turned
out by the roots as remain to be killed by
surplus water. High headed trees should
be shaded on the south. west side of the
trunk, artiticialy, as by board, the use OF
straw, or smaller plant of some kind, to
protect them against sun-scald, until the
heads become sufficiently: large to accom-
p)ish this object. This is especially impor-
tant to large trees the first summer after
transplanting
Severe pruning should at all times be
avoided if practicable; when necessary, early
spring is the best season, and all large
wounds should be covered with grating
wax or some similar composition, to protect
the wood against drying or decay until COM
pletely healed over.
Moderate, judicious pruning may be per-
formed at any season of the year, and
had always best be done when it can be,
lest it should not be done when it ought to
be. This is a busy world for all but lazy
folks and loafers, especially in this unmad e
g rden-the West,
Transplanting, as well as every other ope-
ration in Horticulture, should be thoroughly
performed. First, by taking up the trees
with large and unmutilated roots, then free
zing or drying the roots while out of the
ground should be avoided if possible, but
when unavoidable, thawing should be ac-
complshed either by placing at once in a
moist cellar, or by burying root and branch
in fresh soil, and if very dry they should be
thus buried and left for few Gays until
their shrivelling has disappeared: Plant in
ioiOo III SoOu SdtdCu VI VIGIL CuiGlSd~
ted soil, place the roots as nearly as posi-
BILE in their natural position, not lower than
they were before removal, being careful
to fill in the earth in such manner as to
leave no air spaces, tramp moderately, to
render the soil suitably compact, and to
hold the tree in its proper position, then
place wheel-barrow load OF good manure
over the roots in an even layer to retain
moisture as mulching, and afford nourish-
ment to its teachings. Thorough cultivation
over tho roots is indispensably necessary the
first season. IMPLANTED in the fall, mound
of earth should be raised around the tree,
and the manure put over it before much
frost occurs-the mound to be removed in
May following. As to size of trees, every
man should be governed by his interests or
prejudices. 1t is useless to talk about the
impracticability of planting large trees, or
realizing as early, or as great profits, from
small onss, in this country.
1t being generally understood that every
thing fourishes in this exuberant country,
it would indeed be remarkable if insects,
inimical to the interests Of fruit growers,
should not also find soil and climate ia
vorable to their existence and rapid increase.
The tent caterpillar, the aphis, the woody
aphis, bark louise, autumn caterpillar, the
peach grub, apple borer, dead wood borsrs,
the codlng moth, canker worm, curculio,
&C., are serious obstacle in fruit culture,
requiring much labor and attention to keep
them in check; but as these requirements
must serve to increase the price of fruits,
it should not operate as a encouragement
to the intelligent orchardist, as it will,
probably, not seriously diminish his profits.
Pear culture deserves more attention
than has hitherto been directed to it in the
West. But for the universal discourage.
ment, the blight, it would no doubt become
as common as the apple. The choice va
rieties Of this fruit are so exquisitely lus-
cious that it really is Indispensable, even
though it should require to be replanted
every five to ten years. Of varieties, the
Bartlett has given great satisfaction, an
early and abundant bearer, nearly if not
unite hardy and most suDerb frnit Relic