The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-20
Tho Thinning of the Fruit on the Tree.

Tho Thinning Of the Fruit on the Tree.
think the time has come when this one
ration can 10 longer be proftably neglected.
Fruit is becoming so abundant that a com
mon or inferior quality will not sell, or at
any rate will not command paying price.
When one-half or three-fourths of the apple
crop is fit only for the cider mill or eyapora-
tor, and will not sell for more than five or
ten cents per bushel, the orchard becomes a
very poor investment. The time has come
when fine fruits only will pay; the growing
of poor fruits is already overdone; the grow
ing OF fine fruits will, | am pretty sure, new
er be overdone.
Let me then, urge upon orchardists the
necessity of thinning as well as of good cul-
ture. But when we advise thinning we are
promptly told it will not pay; the labor costs
too much, it is not practicable on a large
scale, etc., etc. The fact seems to be over
looked that it is no more labor to thin the
fruits than it is to gather crop of poor I'M
marketable fruits. Thinning at the proper
time not only enables the tree to bring the
remaining crop to perfection, but gives
quality of fruit that will find ready sale and
fair price at any season, and besides, it
saves the tree from exhaustion.
AS fruit trees grow old they have ten
dency to overbear, and while good cultiva-
ton and careful pruning tends to lessen this
difficulty, yet there are few cases where
thinning to greater or less extent NAV not
be advantageous. My own practice is to
thin twice or even three times. The earlier
the work is commenced after the fruit is
we'll set, the better.
which is rather doubtful, hope those who
doubt the practicability of thinning, will at
least make an experiment on few trees,
keeping an exact account of the expense
and general results 1t requires some prac-
tice, however to enable one to Judge how
far the thinning should be carried, and it
would not be surprising if the first expert
ment should be unsatisfactory
Prof. Beal, of the Michigan University,
az excellent authority, says in his report for
1880: SIN thinning apples while small, we
have Experimental long. enough to know
that it is very profitable" I might quote
any amount of evidence in favor of thin
ming.
Much has been said and written on the
subjects of gathering, asserting. and pack
ing fruits for market; yet the loss to our
orchardists arising from improper handling
continues to be very great. l have been
surprised to see the wretched condition in
which large portion of the fruit from the
interior is received from the large cities, in
many cases hardly worth the cost of trans
pun luc lew STOWcTS WHO SeLu the
fruit to market in first class style reap their
reward in fair prices and good reputation
The California growers and shippers seem
to have attained great perfection in packing.
l saw last autumn, in New York, grapes
and pears as fresh, sound and beautiful af-
ter the 1900 miles journey by rail. as when
first placed in the packages. The conse-
quence was they sold readily at good prices
in season of most abue dant fruit crop. l
have known large shipments to Europe that
proved to be total losses, from the imperfect
manner in which they had been assorted
and packed. On several occasions we have
purchased, from some of our most careful
orchardists, apples to send to friends in Eu-
rope, and in every case they had to be re-
sorted and packed, getting, perhaps, one
barrel out Of two. Reports in Europe are
consta tly informing lis of the losses sus-
tanned by careless packing, as we'll as by
shipping unmarketable varieties and poor
quality. When we consider how much it
costs to send fruit to markell mean dis
tant markets, such as our large cities, or
Enrope-it must be evident that poor arti-
Gle poorly packed will not pay. Such ship
ments only do injury to the trade, and
there is no doubt but that serious injury has
already been done to our fruit export from
this cause. In former times when only
few American apples were sent abroad and
these chiefly Newton Pippins, selected and
packed with great care, fabulous prices
were obtained, and American apples were
priced above all others.
In 1913, just thirty-two years ago, when
ocean voyages were longer than they are
now, I took barrels of Northern Spy and
Melon Apples to show our friends in Eu-
rope. These varieties were then but re-
Gently introduced, and comparatively rare.
L distributed them among the leadin,
pomologists in England, France, Belgiumg
and all declared they were the finest ap-
pies they had ever seen. The late Mr..
Rivers insisted on my sending basket of
them to the Queen, which did.
They were sent to New York by rail; made
long ocean voyage, thirteen or fourteen
days; sent by rail from Liverpool to London
then packed in baskets and sent by express
to different places in France and Belgium,
and in every case were received in perfect
order. l brought some back with me quite
sound in March, although was twenty-one
da on the water. This shows how easy
it is to transport apples long distances, if of
fine qnality and well packed.
The shipment of American apples to Eu-
rope is destined to be immense But if our
growers and shippers desire to secure the
best results for themselves and the consul
mers, they will at once determine upon a
thorough system of selecting and packing.
This applies with equal force to our home
markets. Winter pears sent to New York
this winter, about the holidays well selected
and nicely packed in half-bushel boxes, sold
readily at three dollars and four dollars
box. With less care and taste in selecting
and packing, such pears might not have
sold for more than three or four dollars per
barrel. have dwelt longer on this topic
than intended to, but its Importance must
be my excuse President Western Ne,y
York Horticultural Society.
Mulching.
The dry spell has invited us to look back
ward and see how much gooG might have
been done by a little seasonable work. The
value of good mulch around young trees,
whether recently set or not, we can clearly
see. Few thought of it at the time it should
have been done and took such security on
the season as to guarantee an unbroken
growth for its full length. To mulch now,
will require some preparatory labor to Sc
cure good results. The ground about the
tree should be broken up with garden
fork or spade and pulverized before apply
ing mulch. Every farmer knows his sod
ground does not retain moisture like his
ploughed field, and that his corn ground
must be frequently cultivated in dry time