The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-11-10
HOW Apptes can be GrOVn in the
P0SsMMpSic Valley.

trict. have unitorml y replied to those
who have made this affirmation, that,
from their mode of treating their orchards,
or rather their entire neglect of them, they
ought neither to expect, nor to have any
fruit. And was much surprised at your
editorial endorsement of the sold wives
fable" when you said that inasmueh as
apples cannot be raised in the district,
grapes may be introduced as a substitute :;
since you cannot but be aware that the bo-
tanical province of the apple, ranges much
further north than that of the grape
But why cannot apples be raised in
Caledonia county The trees winter-kill.
So they do in western New York, south
ern Illinois, and everywhere that apples are
raised at ALL
Now, have gustatory proof of the
most satisfactory kind to me, and think
it would be to you also, that good apples
can be raised in Caledonia county. For
the last fortni ght, | have been eatinc-not
necessarily to be sure-as good apples as
ever ate in Rochester, or any where else,
that were raised nearly half way up the
sides of Burke Mountain
But how has the culture of this fruit
been managed in this region? From thir-
ty TO fifty years ago, in the main, the Or
chards We're planted. The locality was
determined by the settled doctrine that the
poorest, rockicst land. that which was
GOOD for nothing else, was best for apples.
The work of planting commenced by dig
ging holes into the hard soil. about the
size Of post holes, into Which the trees
were thrust. and the roots twisted up into
knots and crowded in the empty spaces.
The trenches Were then filled up. stones
were wedged in to keep the trees upright,
and thus they We're left to ti9ht the hard
battle of nature against ignorance and stu
pidity. They were allowed 10 become
turt-bound. the rough bark was never
Scraped from their trunks, so as to facili-
tate growth, insects of all kinds ran riot
undlsturhcd among the branches, the over
growth of the tops was not checked. sprouts
were permitted TO grow from the trunks
and roots, SappIng the parent tree of its
supply of nutriment, and those destroyed
by frost or other causes. were never re-
placed. To this representation there were
some exceptions, but this was the rule
And yet, against all these obstacles. ma
ture generously did her hard work. ant
there was fruit But time has rolled on
and these orchards have died out of sheer
old age. And vet there are old men. who
look just like an old apple tree, with it,
patches of yellow moss. and paucity o
semi-vital limbs draped with few scat
tered leaves. and moaning with every gus
of wind, that 90 about disconsolatclv
wondering why we no longer raise fruit il
this region.
Now let me sketch briefly the methoo
of raising apples in some of the favored
fruit-raising district, for instance, western
New York. Quite likely many peopl
suppose that in such places. nothing
necessary but to scatter apple seeds in
field, and 10 perpetual burst of bloom
and fruitagc.
The method is to select the best piece c
land on the farm, and bring it into tn
best possible condition Of fertility and mel
d lOwness. Then the finest varieties of tree
which the science and long experience {
the Rochester nurserymen have produced
y are selected, and carefully planted. III
land is plowed twice a year thereafter
once in mid summer-and nothing else
ever raised upon the ground while appl,
are raised there. Whenever q tree IS xii
ed by the frost, or by any other means,
is Immediately replaced. Overerown tol
are reduced, sprouts carefully suppresse,
the body OF the tree kept free from Il
rough bark which so hinders growth. il
5, ternecine war is waged with all varieti
of invading insects, and everything is dol
that can facilitate the growth and produc
z lveneSS of the tree
:. Now it is by such means that the PEI
b. pie OF western New York have succecdC
in raising the finest fruit in the world. al
such means alone will avail to secure eoc
fruit anywhere. And with GOOD reaso
q, All our fine varieties of apples have be,
= developed from the crab apple, by lo1
y and patient course OF cultivation, and
is course, nothing but culture and care c:
ID keep them up to the standard of perfe
IL ton.
AZ -. Now practical suggestion. Why c;
IN not some intelligent and enterprising m;
g open nursery in Caledonia county?