The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-01-21
The Apple Orchard.

THERE are many farms in our pioneer
settlements upon which no apple or fruit
trees have as yet been planted, while in
the older States new orchards are annu-
ally set out to take the place of those
past their prime and going to decay
Here we have two natural causes for a
constant demand for fruit trees, and there
is another also more potent than either,
which is the increase in population.
Twenty years ago many of our nursery
men and dealers in fruit trees predicted
that the country would soon be fully
supplied because so many trees were an
nually propagated and planted; but time
has shown that the demand for fruit has
kept pace with the supply, and in some
favorable localities has even exceeded
it. We can we'll remember the time
when the very best of winter apples, such
as Rhode Island greetings, Spitzenburgs,
and fall pippins would not bring fifty
cents per barrel in any of the Central or
Western New York markets, and farm
ers in those regions did not count their
apples as cash crop at any price. But
the increase in our population, accom-
panied by increased facilities for ship
ping to distant market. has changed all
this, and orchards have been renovated
and thousands of new ones planted. The
same thing is likely to occur in all local
tiles, and should there be any al the pres
ent time where choice fruit is not in suf-
ficient demand to warrant extended cul-
ture it must not he considered the rule
for all time to come.
Making selections of varieties is
probably one of the most difficult aues-
tions to settle connected with fruit cul-
ture. In the first place 1t is well known
that certain varieties succeed much bet
ter in one localityend soil than they do
in others; in fact, there are few or no
varieties of the apple that succeed
well in all localities. Knowing this,
our nurserymen who expect to do an ex-
tensive business propagate sorts adapted
to great variety of localities; hence the
long array of names to be found in their
catalogues. The man who only desires
dozen sorts is frequently puzzled to
select them from list of several hun
dred, all of which are described, and
perhaps correctly, as excellent and de-
sirable. The novice in these matters
must bear in mind that the description
Of varieties as given in the catalogues
must necessarily be very brief, the de-
tails in regard to cultivation and adapta-
ton to climates and soils being left out
in great part or altogether.
The best apples for the Middle States
may not be the best for the Southern or
extreme Northern, specific information
on these points having to be determined
by experiments with the varieties them
selves. We must look into our standard
genealogical works for this information,
or to the reports of local societies in
order to learn which are the best varie-
ties to plant in any particular locality.
A farmer in Minnesota or Wisconsin
would be very foolish to purchase and
plant the same varieties that he may
have known to be excellent in Kentucky
or Maryland Still there are hundreds
who have done SO, and been much dis
appointed in the result of the venture
This is one good reason why man
should always endeavor to obtain his
trees of trustworthy dealers, and then
if he does not know the merits of par
ticular sorts himself he can leave the Sc
lection to the nurseryIhan. s
In extreme northern localities none but
the Russian and Siberian apples can be
depended upon, and of these there are at
present goodly number of sorts in cul-
tivation; consequently in all the essen
tiai qualities, except perhaps size, the
residents in the colder regions of our
country may with proper care obtain an
abundance of good apples. Without at
tempting to name the sorts known to
succeed IN any particular locality or re-
gion of country, we would say to every |
farmer who reads the Weekly Sun, do not |
purchase or give an order for apple or |
other trees without first consulting some |
good authority on the subject, unless /
you know positively from experience |
that the varieties about to be purchased |
are likely to succeed. There is scarcely |
State or Territory at the present time !
in which there are not one or more local |
horticultural or agricultural societies, |
organized for the very purpose of CO. |
tanning and disseminating just the infor- |
nation needed by the novice in these !
matters. If there are no such sources |
of specific information near at hand |
then man had better apply to the Sec |
Rotary of the American Pathological So |
ciety or to the editor of some agricul. |
tural or horticultural journal for a list.
There are thousands of farmers who |
to save dollar or two as membership !
fee to some horticultural society or per |
haps subscription to a newspaper have |
lost hundreds of dollars by being swim !
died in the purchase of trees and plants |
entirely unsuited to their wants or the |
climate in which they reside. The most |
successful orchardists are those who /
have sought and obtained the best in |
formation on the subject.-N. Y. Sun.
An innocent young man from the coun- |
try writes % The PATeaotogicag Journal, |
asking what natural talents are needed |
to qualify him to become good lawyer. |
The reply is that lawyer needs large |
organs, eventuality, compari- |
son and causalty. Motive and vital tenn
permanent are also required to sustain
him in the labors of his profession. 1t
appears that the feelings least needed |
are agreeableness, imitation. spirituality,
and parental iove-Cht- |