Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-12-13
What Apples TO Cultivate.
ny ALEX. HYDE, ESQ, or MASSACHUSETTS.

w AlINs Nuti fSQi on MAHrANUlNtIISs
Next to the Northern Spy we rank the
Rhode Island Grecning. The demand for
Greetings probably exceeds that for Spies. but
simply for the reason that the latter are not
so well known The Spy is a larger fruit,
much more snowy Of higher flavor, eats
well, cooks we'll The acid Of the Greening
and its tenderness recommend it as a cooking
apple, but in these respects it is not superior
to the Spy, and the latter has more flavor is
more crisp, and in every respect is more de-
sirablc for the dessert We would not say
word it disparagoment of our old iavorte,
the Greoning In setting out an orchard a
few years since of 300 trees. 200 Of them
were Greetings. We did not know the value
Of the Spy then a. well as we do now We
have seen these Greenng trees uniformly
loaded with fruit, the branches in some in.
stances resting on the ground still it cannot
be denied that the Greening in some Of the
older portions Of the country seems to have
lost its vitality If there is any truth in
Knights theory that varieties Of fruits have
limit to their natural life, that the youth
Of a tree is not renewed by its buds or scions,
and that propagation by seeds is the only
method Of securing young and vigorous trees,
then we must plant Greening trees with no
strong assurance that they will continue pro-
ductye for the next generation. We are not
prepared 10 subscribe to the doctrine Of the
great English pomologist as to the limitation
Of the life Of varieties of fruit, though it is
sustained by many facts, not enough however,
we think to warrant the general conclusion
to which he has come. It is true that GER
tain varieties Of apples and pears seem to
have run out in certain sections Thus the
Golden Pipn, once the crack apple Of Eng.
land, can no longer be cultivated to advant-
age in that country, and that most high fav-
ored Of all apples, the Sptzenburg, once so
productive to New England, is now inferior in
size aud the tree is feeble in its growth and a
shy bearer. The Virgalieu pear also once
esteemed No. |, can now seldom be brought
to perfection n New England Admitting
these and other similar facts, it is neverthe-
less true that the apples that have failed in
England, apparently from old age, have re-
newed their youth in this country, and those
that are less vigorous than formerly in the
older portions Of New England, are in other
localities as productive as ever. If the Vir.
galieu pear is dying of old age, why does it
not die in California as well as New Eng
land Neither is it true that it is " kilt n-
tirely' even here, for We have eaten this
year as large fair aud buttery Vrgaleus,
raised in Berkshire as we ever smackod our
lips over in our childhood. We can see no
reason why the life of tree may not be re-
Moved from its buds as well as from its seeds,
as the latter are only buds perfected Still
it can not be denied that some of the old va
rites Of fruit are less vigorous than formerly,
and, as the Greening is one of the Oldest orig
mating in this country, we cannot subscribe
to the recommendation Of some pomologists
to plant the greater part of an orchard with
this variety
The Baldwin is great favorite in the Bos-
ton market, but we have always been at
loss to account for its popularity. 1t GER
tainy is not of the first quality in flavor
The tree is vigorous grower and yields
acknowledgement in two years. The fruit
also looks well, and owes its position, like
some fashionable bellies, more to good looks
than intrinsic worth. The Baldwin deserves
good place in every orchard We should
so long as the demand for them is so great
the orchardist will of course feel under obi.
cations to furnish supply If the public
prefer chicory to coffee there is no objection
to the farmers raising it, provided he sells it
under its proper name. The Hubbardston
Non Such is gradually supplanting the Bald
win in the eastern markets This is a much
superior fruit for the dessert, except that it i,
not 50 late u keeper. The tree is yigorou,
and productive, and the fruit large, tender
juicy and very pleasant favored though no
quite acid enough for cooking apple TIL,
merits of this variety may not be quite equa
to its name None Such, but if it is not "frs
among its equals" it is second to but few
One Of its recommendations is that it is les
liable to be bitten by the curculio, and there
fore is more fair than most apples. 1t i
generally supposed that this little Turk Sc
lects the best varieties on which 70 impress
his crescent mark, but this is not so. 1t i
evident that he discrimiuates between varie
ties, but his judgment is not always sound
lie seldom pays his respects to the Fameuse
one of the handsomest as well as one of the
best apples, and we scarcely ever saw Mig
nomee or golden Sweet with the ensign o
the Turk upon it. One of the most prom
Using Of the modern apples is the King o
Tompkins County. This is big name for al
apple Of republican origin, but then the ap
pie is "big, large, noble-looking" and eats as
well as it looks. 1t is perhaps not easy tc
judge Of the full merits of this variety, TO
the character of apples, like the character o
men, cannot be determined by their looks OF
few years trial. Character is plant o.
slow growth" but we know enough of tn,
liking Of Tompkins County to know tina
he deserves further trial, but we wish tina
the gentleman from Tompkins County hat
christened his fruit with shorter name. Nc
orchard should be planted without goo,
sprinkling Of sweet apples They are excel
lent for baking and cut up in milk make III,
children grow like weeds, and children of .
larger growth can make a square meal o
them served up in this way, and few such ar
ticles Of diet will give healthier color tC
the cheek. Well saturated with cream ant
sugar they make no mean substitute foI
peaches. The Pound Sweetng is one of tn,
largest and best of the winter sweet apples
The winter Golden Sweet is, however, richer
apple, and the Tolman sweet, though rather be
low the medium size, is excellent and one fth,
most protusc of bearers. Time would fail Vi
to speak of the long list of apples found il
the nursery-mens catalogues, but we must moi
omit the old Roxbury Russet which still
maintains its supremacy in New England al
late keeper 1t is not very high favored
apple, but as it can be kept until the Early
Harvest is ready for eating, it deserves q
place in every orchard. In June, when W,
have no other varieties with which to com
pare the Roxbury, we call it God.
To KEEP CIDER SWEET MIR. A. Spicer
OF Summit county, o., writes to an exchang,
as follows; Use sound apples in maxim,
your cider, and when it commences to fermen