Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-09-03
EARLY Apples.
How rron.anI, TO Dl.ro.e Of rhcm.

At this season there is surfcit of early
apples in the markets of most country viii
lagos, and they are drug" to use an ex-
pressive provincial term. A few command
fair price, but generally there is an over
abundance and with the exception Of
ready sale for a few bushels at the opening
Of the season, early apples generally Ego
begging" in our country towns. There are
some causes for this state of things quite ap-
parent now, which did not operate to the dis
advantage of the fruit farmer of dozen or
fifteen years ago. Then, choice early apples
commanded quick market, for they were
almost the only early fruit found at the fruit
stands of our interior towns and villages.
For cooking, for desert for eating at all
times, they were the only fruit 1t is only
necessary to call to mind the great quantities
ofsmall fruits, berries, peaches, pears grapes,
which are now found early in all our towns
and consumed universally, to understand how
completely the early apples have been super
seeded and driven from the market. And
these are not necessarily home grown. Trans
portation is now SO rapid, and extends by
means of a regular system to the rcmotost
towns, to such an extent, that choice fruits
grown in distant States find their way to
Northern markets almost rs soon as they are
ripe at home, and the sue cession of the small
fruits from the early Strawberries through
the entire list down to the grapes and other
choice fruits of fall, il such that it has dis
placed early apples, particularly for eating,
small demand being found for few bushels
for cooking purposes.
This crowding out of the early apples by
the chocer fruits, while working to the dis
advantage of the farmer is a benefit. perhaps,
to the public at large More fruit is con
sumed than formerly, and the greater the
consumption of ripe fruits by the people,
during the summer and fall mouths to the
displacement of meats, the greater will be
the average ratio of healthfulness among
communities But this change is so appar-
ent that the farmer must do something to
protect himself against it, or rather he must
make certain changes in order TO adapt him
self TO the new circumstances and this is
about the way the matter presents itself
l. A limited quantity may always be made
use of in the farmers family. For sauce,
for pies, for baking, for eating, small lot
of desirable apples may be economically dis
posed Of right through the season. But
few trees will be sufficient for this, and the
varieties should be of the best If a consid-
cradle surplus occurs in occasional years,
they may be fed, boiled, or if sweet, raw, to
pigs and cows, to good advantage.
,. One of the best means of controlling
the over-production and waste of early APP
pies will be to gradually change the trees by
grating, from the early sorts to later and
more profitable winter varieties. The pro-
duction of desirable, well-keeping and quick
marketable winter apples cannot be over
done anywhere in New England. The de-
maud Is steady, the prices always remunera-
tive, and the home and foreign markets are
sure to welcome good winter apples to al
most any extent. Where the trees of early
varieties are yet in their prime they can and
should be grated to the late keeping sorts
but if the trees are getting old, the better
plan would be to root them out and set win
ter sorts in their place 1t is never to be rec
commended to cut down or root out fruit trees,
if another course can be adopted to make
them more profitable but we can recon-
mend the cutting down of the old trees of the
early sorts, with better satisfaction than any
other kind.
3. Another plan of economically dspos-
ing of the great surplus of carly apples dur
ing periodic years. is to enter upon thor
ough system of drying them. This has not
been much thought of or practced hereto
fore, except in n few instances. but it is q
plan that may be adopted with good results.
We know of at least one farmer in this State
who makes a specially of drying apples for
market, chiefly of the late summer and early
fall varieties. In room in the domestic de
partment of his house he has constructed
sheet-iron hot air chamber or tluc, connected
with large stove, this heated chamber be-
ing provided with Il series of trays or deep
pan-like shelves, aud upon these the slice
green apples are placed, where they remain
until thoroughly dried. During the period
when the carly apples are coming on, lie en-
ploys two or three girls who are kept pairing
and preparing the apples for two or three
weeks in succession. They are all carefully
sliced, and when dried are packed in boxes
of five and ten pounds respectively, labeled
with his name and the name of the farm, and
thus put upon the market. They find a
ready sale, and the proprietor tells US the de
Dand for dried apple of his trade mark, " is
constantly increasing Here is hint for
other farmers who wish to dispose of their
surplus early apples at good profit r..
Farmer.