The herald. (Big Stone City, Dak. [S.D.]) 1883-1890, 1885-02-13
kruit Culture.

u api isoi py \IiitS hoSIiuSH0lul, v
Mibank, before the Farmers Institute
held at Mibank. January 18th. 1850
Fruit culture is yet in its infancy
here. 1t will take number Of years.
with patient and persistent trial, to
find which Of the 1900, or more, diffe.
rent varieties of apples will be adapt
ed to our climate. At present none
but those ironclads that are able to
stand 40 below zero, seem to prosper.
But in the future, with iudicious
planting OF windbreaks, which will
protect the orchards from the gentle
zephyrs that disport themselves 50
festlvely over our open prairies, | feel
confident that many varieties now
thought too tender, can be raised with
profit, and my brother farmers can
raise their own supply of apples and
have some to spare for their city
neighbors
| have SO far succeeded best with
the Hybrids or improved crabs, Of
which the Early Strawberry is the
earliest variety of Hybrids grown, of
medium size and pl leasant flavor; the
Milton, an improvement on the Trans
cendent, of which it is seeding. but
free from crabblness Of taste and
blights, the Homestead and Whitney
No. 20, both good size and pleasat fla
vor; the Briar Sweet, a very sweet
crab, and the Lake Winter, which
will keep until May. hayeSfruited for
me the past two seasons. All these
are very hardy, early bearers and fast
growers. Besides the above, I have
| in nursery rows the Gen. Grant, Hys-
lop Winter Golden Sweet, Red Lake
| Maiden's blush, and several other Hy-
1 brids that have stood the past two
winters to perfection, and ! can rec
commend to the public as Ironclads.
| The Transcendent has had its day
| could not procure any healthy scions
for grating purposes, hence have none
| in my nursery. Of the Transcendent
trees that l have planted four years
ago, three died the first year, and the
| last the past season. OF Standard ap.
| pies have not had any III fruit. My
first planting of Wealthy and Duchess
WAS in new breaking and ali died; lat
1 plnpfipn an on1A iyafaa lind bara
| done better. ! have in nursery rows
the Wealthy. Duchess, Ben Davis,
| Famuese, McMahon. Teller Sweet
Sops of Wine, and Seek k-no- further.
which have done tolerably well. The
Sour Bough, Puoankee, Pearmain and
Summer Plppins have nearly all died.
In pnms have tried five varieties,
the Miner, DeSoto, Imperial Gage, Nc
Laughlin and Lombard, and of these
the DeSota and Miner are the only
survivors and they fruited a little this
| past season.
! have tried four varieties of pears;
the Flemish Beauty. Clapp Favorite,
Duchess and keifer. and Of these the
Flemish Beauty is the only one that
stood the cold winter.
| With cherries l have had no success
80 far. I have tried the Morello, Ear
ly and Late Richmond and almost all
my trees are frozen down.
! In choosing site for an orchard
select, SO far as possible, 4 we'll drain
ed piece Of ground, sloping toward the
north will be best. rs the trees will
not start so soon III the spring and will
not be troubled with the bark bursting
on the south side, caused by repeated
thawing and freezing of the sap. Pre-
pare the ground as you would for corn.
There is great difference in the mind
of many as to the distance trees should
be planted apart. l do not wish to set
myself up as authority. but, from ex-
| perience. find that sixteen feet each
way is sufficient for Crabs and Hy-
brids, while Standards should not
stand closer than 90 feet apart or even
| more. In selecting trees do not hook
SO much to tops rs to roots. yon can
grow the tops to suit your own taste.
See that the tree has plenty OF tine IL
brous roots. This will show yon tina.
it is not an old residenter, rs nusery-
man call old cut back stock. Never