Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-05-12
for the farmer.
Emit Gnltnre-the Apple.

est himself in the cultivation of select
assortment of hardy fruits. We are well
aware that the majority of farmers have
their apple orchards as an appendage Of
the farm, some of them rejecting very little
credit on the taste or industryof the owners,
while few are careful and skillful fruit
growers, and regard their fruit crop as cs-
sential to their comfort
The apple, once the pride Of our Penn
sylvania farms, has been growing annually
less profit ,ble, and except in those instances
and localities where pains have been taken
t, keep up the fertility of the soil and pre-.
rye the health of the trees, the apple or
chard has become disgr ICE to the farm
The causes which have led to tbs egle It
have been so frequently explained that we
need scarcely at this time repeat them, aud
while the drawbacks arising from changes in
our climate, ana the prevalence of noxious
insects and other destroyers have increased,
the negligence and inattention of the farm
er in abating and preventing them has also
increased. Can il be possible that with the
great attention directed within the past
twenty years to the subject of fruit culture,
the multiplication of improved varieties
and the best methods of propagating plant
ing and managing fruit trees, we can at this
day be in a worse condition as regards the
supply OF good fruits than before all this
increased interest was evinced by local and
national associations devoted TO the subject?
We may admit that much of the profess.
ed interest in improving our fruits and ex-
tending their cultivation was merely the
selfish schemes of traders but we cannot be-
lieve that in all that has been affected in
the published reports aud discussions of
pOmological and fruit growers societies,
much reliable information has not been
brought within the reach of those inter
ested
We do net deny that much of a vague
and unreliable nature as to the character and
value of certain varieties has found its way
into the published records of these societies
which should be free from all doubtful
statements, but it is a very difficult and
thankless task to stand on guard all the time
and challenge the apparently conscientious
statements of our fellow laborers
The great evil seems TO be the unnecessary
multiplication of varieties, one claiming to
supersede another to the utter bewilderment
of the farmer. This evil begins to cure it.
self, for it seems now to be we'll understood
that few reliable varieties of fruits. ripen.
ing at the various seasons, are much more
satisfactory than great number of new
and untested by each in his own locality
As to varieties, it is certainly true that these
Ia,-.. i,..a Il,
as they are affected by soil and climate and
exposure, but there are number of varie-
ties of all fruits that have proved reliable in
almost every district of the country.
Too much atteption seems of late to have
been given to certain fruits to the exclusion
or neglect of others. The grape, for in
stance, has been extolled as the great arti
Gle in fruit culture, and the propagation of
new seedlings has become the staple bust
ness of many cultivators. Well, we should
by this time have quite fair list of grapes,
and We can not deny that we have better
specimens OF the fruit in our markets.
The apple is, however, the favorite of
Pennsylvania farmers, and we hope little
more attention will be given to the old IA
yorate.
To go into detailed account of the rise
and fall of apple cultivation among the far
mers of our State, would be quite unneces-
sary. 1t may, however, be admitted that
the production Of choice apples has rapidly
decreased. We must remember as the cit
les have extended into the country, many
orchards have been destroyed, and many of
the best kept orchards are to be found COM
paratively close to cities and towns. We
are informed that in the distant counties o.
the State the apple still fourishes. Our own
conception of the great cause of the DEGREES
In the production of apples is the want of
attention to those orchards which having
been well established aud bearing fer years,
have been naturally declining through age
and over production
1t cannot be denied but that the farmer is
too axacting. How frequently does he per-
init his land to become impoverished by
over cropping and want oc manure, aud how
much more is the faithful apple tree burth
ened from year to year, without any return
of the necessary fertilizing materials. or
that care in destroying insects, so essential
to the preservation in health of any tree or .
plant
Let us not despair of the apple Plant
a few'thrifty trees in new location. care for
them, and they will pepay the time and
cost.
The topic of cul;ivating the soil of the
apple orchard, letting it remain in sod, Is
not, after all, a very vital question. 1t has
become so to few, merely because a certain
writer has become the c. ampion of this lat
ter method, while another, who claims
much larger experience, is just as strongly
opposed to the careless practice of permit
ting the sod to remain unturned from year
TO year The unbroken system is at least in
opposition to all the modern improved meth
ods OF culture applied to other crops. There
Is at least some reason in the argument ,b.+
the roots of old trees which have extended
over the entire ground are nancIad b :;