Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-29
NO.. 1853.
APPLES.

The culture of the apple is attracting such
increased attention in this country that any
book which adds to our knowledge of this
valuable fruit should be regarded with fa-
vor. The Apple Culturist, by Serene E.
Todd, just issued in attractive style from
the press of the Harper Bros, seems to
give, in small space, all that the practical
pomologist can desire to know on this sub
iect, embracing, as the work does, chap
ters on propagation, grating, preparation
of the soil, removing old trees and trans
pruning and training, renovating
old orchards, determination of noxious in
sects, gathering and storing, and pomo-
logical glossary.
We give below n few extracts from Mr.
Todd's book on that much-discussed ques-
ton, 1.-the failure of orchards and the prac-
ticable remedy <
In the majority of instances pomologistS
assume that apple and pear trees fail to
produce such crops of fruit as were once
raised in certain localities, because the va
rieties are running out. They feel conf
dent that they have guessed correctly on
this point. But the assumption is great
delusion and we can convince any intelli-
gent pomologist that the conclusion is er-
roneous. Ifthe same quality of soil can be
secured, and the same surroundings as to
protection by forests, and if the scions from
the topmost boughs of old trees that have
once borne bountiful crops of fine fruit,
but have now failed could be set in young
stocks as hardy as the stocks which were
employed sixty or eighty years ago, we
should see trees loaded with just as fine fruit
as the old trees ever produced. The truth is,
there is q limit to the productiveness of all
kinds of fruit trees. Old animals cease to
bear. And why should not trees grow old
and barrenP Forest trees reach limit in
their growth, and decay. And can it be
expected that apple-trees will continue to
bear after they have passed the maximum
limit of life? Durham cattle die but the
bre6d-the variety-does not deteriorate.
If old trees cease to bear, and die, the va
riety of fruit does not fail, if scions from
the branches be set in young stocks. Ii q
piece of ground be cleared of the forest,
by burning everything to ashes on the land,
as farms used to be cleared, and heavy
bodies of growing timber be left standing,
to protect the young orchard, there will be
no complaint of failure of fine fruit. The
trouble is in the culture and treatment of
the growing trees. The young orchards
that ought now to be yielding bountiful
crops of fine fruit have been produced and
ner. And then, because it is impossible
for trees to bear under such circumstances,
pomologists have assumed that there is
something in the air-some pernicious
east wind that blasts the embryotic fruit,
or the varieties are running out!"
l. Now then let us sift the evidence,
point by point, and take an honest view of
the subject, by comparing the past with
the present Fourscore years ago, the
stocks into which scions were set were pro-
duced from more hardy varieties than the
stock of the present day. Now, nursery
men plant the seed of any kind Of fruit.
1t can not be denied that the stock exerts
a wonderful influence on the productive
ness of the bearing tree
,. Fourscore years ago. fruit trees were
set in virgin soil which, in most instances
had been top-dressed bountifully with un-
leached ashes, which are an almost in
dispensable requisite in the production of
fine fruit. But now inferior trees are
planted in an inferior soil, without wood
ashes and other fertilizing materials, which
growing fruit-trees must have before they
can produce bountiful crop. n
,. Fourscore years ago, almost every
orchard was shielded by a belt of forest
trees. But now, cold and fierce winds
sweep over the country for q long distance
raking young orchards in q fearful man
ner. tE
4. a large proportion of the orchards all
over New England, and many other States
have been almost ruined by stupid man
agement As the soil had become very
much impoverished, in consequence of
having yielded II long succession of bounti-
ful crops of fruit, and the trees began to
Al ~,
ment, some stupid wood-chopper would
be directed to prune the trees, which would
be performed by cutting off about half of
the entire top, and in numerous instances
more than half; and large limbs, six to
eight inches in diameter, have been chop
ped off, making such broad wounds that
they could never heal over Hence the
wood began to decay, so that thousands
Of valuable apple-trees. that once yielded
full crops of fruit decayed to the heart,
often becoming hollow. Such manage
ment and treatment of fruit-trees is surely
sufficient to effectually annihilate the most
hardy and prolific variety of pears or APP
plies that has ever been cultivated. M y
.. Fourscore years ago, noXious insects,
grubs, beetles, curculios, borers, cater
pillars, worms and aphides, seldom in
jured bearing fruit-trees more than enough
to thin out the superintendent crops. Blu.
now, if a man plants an orchard of the
very best and hardest varieties of apples,
he must watch for grubs in the roots, for
borers in the bodies of the trees, dispute
his title to the fruit with innumerable cat
erpillars, with army-worms, canker-worms
and many other worms, with untold num-
bers of the codlingmoth, the irrepressible
curculio, in Il hand-to hand contest, and
with uncountednumbers of aphides, which
are ready to suck the last drop OF sap from
every growing tree.
From the foregoing suggestions, every
intelligent pomologist will perceive what
difficult influences and formidable enemies
of both the apple-trees and the fruit must
be encountered when an effort is made
to produce crop of apples.
On 1.-The best soil for apples" Mr.. Todd
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