Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-01-25
House, Farm and Garden.
L. d. r. COLLINS, Editor.
Fruit Growing in Orleans County.

An address, deSi0ered before the Orleans
County Agricultural Society, at the annual
meeting in Lasburgh, Jan. 4, 1870, By T.
I'll. Hoskias, NJ ID.
1t will hardly be expected, and certain |
ly do not expect, gentlemen, that shall be
able to afford to the experienced members |
of this society any instruction upon the |
subject chosen for this brief address. The |
only excuse to be offered for my appearing
in this place to-day is the ardent love with |
which l have for many years pursued the
art of Horticulture, and the belief, upon |
the part of your active and energetic Sec
rotary, that I might be able to offer some
practical suggestions, and thus awaken at
tention to the subject in your minds by de-
failing the results of my own experience.
In first coming into Orleans County as
resident | could not but be struck by the
almost total absence of orchards among
you. A native of Maine, a state noted for
its apples, and whose ruit-producing ter
ritory extends considerably to the north of
this point, such a deficiency could not es-
cape immediate notice, and lead to inquiry
as to its cause was told that such was
the rigor of your seasons that apple trees
with the exception of the Siberian Crab,
could not be made to grow and produce
fruit. Knowing the Siberian apple as but
- Oh
was valuable only in the preparation of
| sweet meats, ] could not consider that as
| a substitute for the noble orchards to which
had been accustomed. | had not at that
| time learned the fact that you had in this
| county man, who if he were not so mod
est would to-day rank high among pomol-
ogisE-a man who has spent the best years
of his life in scratching and bringing to-
gether collection of improved Siberian
apples unequallel in the world, and hold
| ing forth the highest encouragement that
from the Siberian stock we may soon look
for varieties equlling the best Of the Euro
pean fruit and rs American descendants.
|
lett Bryant of Derby, and am glad to know
that he is appreciated in this community,
that he is not a prophet without honor in
his own country
But while believe in Mr.. Bryant, and
in the present and the future Of the Siberi-
an apple, do not think, and he does not
think that for al purposes it has yet reach
ed development which authorizes it 10
compete with the apples of Europe. For
cider it is unequalled; for cooking-purpos-
es it is in many respects to be prefer
red, but as a table fruit, Notwithstanding
its beauty, we must admit that it leaves
something yet To be desired. Why, and
on what grounds have the people Of Or
leans County decided that the European
apple must be abandoned | learn that
in early days this section was famous for
its orchards, that apples grew, as it were,
spontaneously, to the extent that the mar
ket was glutted with them. But with the
settlement of the country, the removal OF
|
, soil the orchards deeayed. Then attempts
/ were made to renew them by importing
trees, vast quantities being brought hither
) from distant sections, and especially from
the great nurseries about Rochester, in
, New York. These trees almost universal.
r ly failed, and the belief spread that apple
l growing could no longer be successfully
: practiced, except as regards the Siberian
' which many of YOU have planted and founC
e universally to do well.
/ But. gentlemen, on a little farther iuves
r tigation found that Orleans County wa
= not entirely destitute of orchards, ever
new orchards, and very successful ones, o
the old apples. How was this? At tn,
Y first fair of thi, society, held at Barton
d Landing, very fine specimens of apple
r were present in considerable abundance
e from several sources. On inquiry | dis
e covered that it was held and believed by
l. faithful few that by selecting the prope
r varieties, and giving them proper care, OIL
If culties to be encountered in orchardinl
h here than farther south. Indeed in som
e respects the difficulties were less, inasmucl
t as here we have not as yet to contend writ
e the insects which often defeat the best et
Of forts of the cultiyator in old districts
< found one notable example of success il
D one of the exhibitors at that fair, nativ
5. of the Emerald Isle, and once employed W
l. on your railroad but when that was com
g pleted, retiring to farm in Troy, wher
n, he has succeeded in rearing an orchar
at that in thrittiness productiveness, and eS
oil celence of fruit, it would be difficult t
d. find surpassed in the most favored regions
ii | refer to Mr.. Owen Donnegan, and hav
re no doubt his superior success is due ell
c. tirely to his selection of varieties and tn
at care he has given his trees, ard that any {
st his neighbors, that any farmer in the cour
n ty, in fact, might do as well, using tn
lg same means.
). 1t has not been as generally understoo
as it ought to be that while the Siberian
unquestionably harder tree than its FL
ropean brother, there is yet in the LATTE
very great differences in their power of IT
. ssting extremes of climate. Over Ii
- greater part of Maine it is found imposs
~ BILE to grow the Baldwin. 1t would be 70
ly for us here to attempt to grow that V:
. riety, and all or almost all of the choice
, kinds grown in New York must DE place
in the same category. And here is OF
reason why you have failed to rear orcl
~ ards from New York trees The varieti
~ that grow with the utmost luxuriance
:, that favored and extensive fruit regiC
:. south of the great lakes, where the tempe
ature in the coolest winters rarely sinl
more than ten or twelve degrees below ger
>, are such as cannot endure climate
" which scarcely winter goes over US wit
We out freezing the mercury in the thermom
"' ter. A hardy variety grown in a Ne
York nursery is Just as good to plant he
as though grown here, provided you get
in as good condition for planting, whit
:. however you rarely do. l have inmy ov
grounds many trees purchased in Roche
-, ter, from the famous nursery of Elwang
A. and Barry, and have not yet lost sing
70. tree. But when you can get what "
- want nearer than that, | would by
~ means advise taking the risk of transpC
Nv tation and delay.
~ In planting orchards it is too often t
case that the farmer not only chooses kin
ill-adapted to the climate and locality, b
70 also fails to give them the care and atte
-, ton that is absolutely requisite to succe