The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-09
Raising Apples.


Less attention has been given to setting
out apple trees during the past few years
than during a CORES bonding time in the
early settlement of the country. The de-
cliue in interest in apple culture has been
largely owing to the great attention given to
other fruits. Nurserymen have made more
money in selling grapevines and bushes that
produce small fruits, and have accordingly
devoted more attention to bringing them to
the notice OF the public. As a consequence
there is a scarcity of apples in almost every
part OF the country. The foreign demand
for apples is very large, and is constantly in
creasing. Dried apples are very high, while
cider sells for more than it ever did in the
history of the country. The prospect for
raising apples with view of supplying the
market was never SO good in this country as
at the present time. Most of those raised in
the East and not wanted for consump-
ton in the vicinity where they are
raised are sent to Europe. Very ex-
tensive regions are settling up in which
apples, or at least very desirable
varieties of Them cannot be raised. The de-
mand for apples in the far West is rapidly
increasing. The same is true in the South.
The planting of apple trees does not keep
pace with the increase of population. Apples
are used for more purposes than they were
few years ago. The trade in apple jelly is
now very large. During some years it is
supply the demands of jely-makers. Per-
sons engaged in drying apples in large estab-
lishments save all the cores and parings, and
dry them for jelly manufacturers Consider
able is made into imitation champagne. The
foreign demand for dried apples is increasing
very rapidly.
Every farmer who lives where apples can
be raised should at least plant trees enough
to supply his family with fruit For a
family orchard there should be quite Il
variety. There should be late and early,
sweet and sour varieties. For a commercial
orchard it is better to plant but few varieties
There is generally little profit in very early
varieties. The fruit will keep but a short
time, and the harvest comes when
there is other work pressing. The early
apples are ripe when the market is
filled with peaches, cherries, grapes and
other small fruits Late keepers are
ready for the market when there is no
other fresh fruit. There is nothing to COM
pete with them. Color has much to do in
selling apples. The preference is for bright
red apples. They are especially wanted for
fruit-stands and the table. Red apples will
always sell on sight. In the language of the
vendors of patent medicine, children cry
for them" The color of an apple has more
to do with its sale than its flavor. Large APP
Dles sell better than small Ones and it is
much less trouble to pick them. A large red,
bookkeeping apple fills the requirements of
the market. If the variety is productive and
the tree hardy it fills the requirements of the
grower The qualities of hardness and pro-
ductiveness can be ascertaned by reading
the reports of local horticultural societies, or
by consulting with fruitgrowers in the vi
cinity. A local nurseryman can ordinarily
be relied on to give reliable information
about the most profitable varieties to plant
II one sort OF tree is much more hardy and
productive than others it is good policy 10
plant an entire commercial orchard to it. A
large dealer will have the product of several
orchards and will be able to furnish the re-
qui-ed variety to customers. The orchards
that pay the poorest are those that contain
the largest variety.