Connecticut western news., 1882-03-29
How to Get Apples on "Of" Years.
A HINT FOR THIS SPRING.

HINT FOR THIS SPRING.
 l.. H. Wires, of Southville, N. J., writes to the Springfield Republican as follows: The past season has demon strated the fact that the value of an orchard depends very much upon whether it produces it's crop in the bear ing year or in the alternate off year. In 1880 an apple crop was of but little value. In '91 it would have been worth in many sections of the country three times as much as the year before. And the difference in the quantity and price that has been so broadly marked in the two past years will undoubtedly con- tinue for some years to come, and prob. ably for as long series of years in the future as it has in the past. Any one who will take the trouble to look over the price current for apples for the last 60 years will find that the price has al- most invariably been higher in the odd than in the even years. Why is it that our orchards have so generally grown into the habit of producing the1r best crops in the even years and remaining so nearly barren during the odd years is one of the unexplained mysteries. It sometimes happens that late frost kills the blossoms of an orchard and changes for time the bearing year, the trees bearing partial and sometimes poor crop the next year. If no artificial means are used to. encourage the new habit so as to render it permanent it usually works back into the old way. But if the trees have sufficient encour- agement to enable them to get the new habit thoroughly formed, they will have no disposition. to return to the old, but will continue to produce crops as regu. larly in the odd years as they had here- tofore done in the even ones.
 To undertake to change the bearing year of an old orchard is something of task, but not so great task but what it would pay in the long run. With an old orchard the first thing to be done is to remove the blossoms or small fruit. A liberal dressing of manure should be applied to the ground to induce vigor- ous growth, and it would be all the bet. ter if applied the fall before, as the late fall and early spring rains will assist in carrying the fertilizing matter down to the roots. If applied late in the spring it will be of but little use the first year. Different varieties will require different treatment, or rather varieties that are not very profuse bearers will require more vigorous and thorough treatment than those that are. For instance, the Famuse or snow apple is very profuse bearer, and if the blossoms are removed the coming spring, the tree well pruned and manure applied early, so as to get the benefit of the spring rains, it will be very certain to bear fair crop the next year, and very probably full crop. But treatment for single year will not be likely to fully establish the habit. If the few blossoms that appear the fol- lowing year are removed, it will be likely to get the bearing habit so thor oughly established that it will be likely to continue without further care. With varieties that are not 50 profuse in their bearing habit it is frequently necessary to resort to more heroic treatment.
 With such trees, after removing the blossoms of small fruit, some time be- tween the middle of June and the 10th of July, if the tree is growing vigorous ly (but not otherwise), cut should be made entirely around each of the limbs, cutting entirely through the bark. A second cut should be made about a quarter of an inch from the first and the intervening section of bark care fully removed. A new bark will be formed in a short time, but the down. ward flow of the sap will be arrested and the formation of fruit buds so en- couraged that trees so treated will be very certain to be covered with bloom the following spring. To confirm the habit it may be necessary to repeat the treatment. With old orchards, con- taining large trees, few farmers will want to spend the time necessary to ef- feet the change, but with young trees it is but little trouble to remove the blossoms, and by giving them the treat ment above described for a few years thoroughly establish the bearing habit in the odd years, and thus double the value of their returns. If the ring Of bark is properly removed no harm will be done to the trees, even if repeated in alternate years for long time. It is fact that the bark can be removed from the entire body of thrifty apple tree during the latter part of June or fore part of July without any injury to the tree. By taking one-half or any part of the top of tree and giving it the above described treatment, the part so treated will have it's bearing changed and the tree made to produce crop of apples on one or the other part each year.
 MARKET NOTES.
 NEW YORK MARKET.