Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-19
Winter Apples for Vermont.

To him we'll bend the knee
lie ia our kng-to him wen sing
IT'S he who made MS freel
Winter Apples for Vermont.
The Brattleboro Phanir expresses sur
prise that we mention Baldwins, Rhode
Island Greetings, Roxbury Russets as ap-
pies that cannot be proftably grown for
market in the major part of Vermont The
PhGnir quotes our statement that it is as
impossiblein thenorthern part of the state to
grow the above named apples for market as
it is to grow peaches in the south part, and,
seeming to infer that by this remark we
meant that it was absolutely impossible to
grow peaches in southern Vermont, COM
mends to our attention the fact that Francis
Lynde of West Bratteboro has bearing
orchard Of one thousand peach trees. The
fact is that we had the Phanir item about
that peach orchard before us at the very
moment of writing. We were also aware
that peaches are successfully grown in south
ern New Hampshire and southwestern
Maine. And if the agricultural editor of
the Ph@nir will consult genealogical records
he will find that these limits also exactly
define the range northward of the Baldwin
apple when rootgrafted or stock-budded.
Top-grafted, it may be grown, on an aver
age, fifty or seventy-fve miles further north
but even as far south as Long Island Sound
an exceptionally severe winter will destroy
or greatly injure all Baldwin trees which
are fully exposed to its action. Neverthe-
less, such is the merit and popularity of
the Baldwin as a profitable market apple,
that the struggle is maintained to push its
cultivation as far north as possible. This
effort is attended with extra hazard in the
injury and loss of orchards, aud the advent
of an apple possessing equal merit in other
respects coupled with entire hardness and
health of tree, such as we believe the
Wealthy to be, is hailed by orchardists in all
regions where the Baldwin proves more or
less tender as great boon. The risk OF
losing ones orchard by an extra hard win
ter is not to be run willingly by any intelli-
gent fruit-grower, especially in northern
New England.
The Rhode Island Greening and Rox-
bury Russet can be grown successfully
win, but they, even, are out of the question
in all northern New England. Though
hundreds upon hundreds of trees of these
sorts have been purchased, we have never
seen genuine apple of any of these three
varieties grown in Orleans county. Occa-
sionally we have heard of them, but investi-
cation has always shown that the grower was
mistaken in regard to the variety, and had
something else under those names. Even
the still more hardy sorts of well known
apples, such as the Westfeld Seek-no-further
Ben Davis, Northern Spy, Willow Twig,
Jonathan Blue Pearmain and Tolman Sweet,
though they can be grown in favorable loca.
tions, are not safe to set on a large scale in
full one-half of this state. We have tested
them fairly, setting six or eight trees Of
each, and though we have raised some apples
from them, the fruit is small, scanty and
imperfect, and the trees unsound and
plainly short-lived, under the best conditions
that can be given them. In Grand Isle
lower Franklin, Washington, Lamoille and
Orange counties these sorts do better, but
the only ones among them reported as per.
fectly hardy, even in Grand Isle, are Willow
Twig, Jonathan and Tolman Sweet.
Nevertheless, orcharding is prospering
and increasing in the very coolest localities
in the state, where the Wealthy, the Magog
Red Streak and Scott's Winter have been
set out. There are still other promising
iron-clad varieties which may come soon
to the front, especially among the Winter
Sweets. The Mann apple is reported OF
favorably from a number of localities, and il
very good substitute for the Rhode Island
Greening. Scott's Winter is an excellent
substitute for the Roxbury Russet.
The Phenir concludes its article by say
ing: "If we had as good pomologist al
DIR. Hoskins in this part of the state, to dc
as much towards introducing hardy varie
ties of the peach with fruit of good quality
as he has done to introduce new kinds OF
apples adapted to the climate of the north
ern part of the state, we might perhaps
have hardy variety of the peach tina
could be grown here with reasonable Ger
tainty Of success" We incline to beiev
that there are as good pomologists in south
ern Vermont as anywhere, though perh ap
they have not had the opportunity or tn
disposition to make their experience publ,
that has been ours in connection with on
editorial work. Mr.. Lynde, with his OIL
chard of one thousand peach trees in prof,
able bearing, could no doubt furnish tn
most valuable information in regard to tn
conditions of success, if he would. VIII
don't our friend of the Phenir intervie,
2 him ? A party in Maine who has ha
equal success in peach growing was vsite
a few years ago by the editor of the Main
Farmer, who gave full, clear aud very il
+ structive detail Of the methods followed
E with the result of giving a considerahl
stimulus to peach-growing in that state, q
was fully manifested at the recent pomolo(
, ical exhibition of the state society at Ga
!, diner
We have no doubt that by the growing
seeding peaches, and the propagation of tf
more hardy sorts 80 discovered, peach-cu
ture may be pushed much to the northwar
1t is the same with pears, plums and che
J. ries. Already the agricultural colleges, e
pecially those of Iowa and Michigan, a
doing good work in this direction, as We
as by importing the already discovert
I. hardy sorts from Northern Europe and Asi