The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-05-20
Farm, Car den, Homo.
Shall zoe Increase oar Apple Orch
ards?


farmers that the raising of apples Is an I'M
.,-eerS'h~ = messy eSpacialy gu hand =;
is valuable for garden crops; this has led
to the destruction OF many valuable orch
ards. the trees having been cut down whlle
In the height of their productlyeness.
This has been to clear land for what nave
been considered more profitable crops,
namely. small fruits and vegetables, but SO
many have rushed into these crops that the
profits have been greatly reduced, so much,
that some of those who cut down their or
chards TO increase their garden land are
beginning to wish they had their trees
back again; for while the price OF small
vegetables has been very much reduced
that of apples has advanced. The great
demand for apples for shipping mas KEPT
prices high enough TO pay cost, and often
a good profit, es oecially II an effort DC
made to raise first quality fruit.
As long as we have large quantities OF
land that Is of little us9 for cultivation that
is well adapted for the growth of the APP
pie we are not called upon TO decide the
question whether 1t is best to set an orch
ard on land we desire for garden. We
should first turn our attention to the
growth of the apple, but cannot be easily
cultivated. There are many thousands oil
acres of this land in New England, which
IL covered with apple trees would increase
In value ten fold.
One of the great mistakes which has
been made in setting too many varieties
We have at the present time large numbers
of orchards with so many varieties IN them
that it almost entirely destroys their value.
An orchard of fifty varieties that bears a
hundred barrels of apples, gives 50 few OF
each kind that 1t is very expensive to gath
- and
even when this is done there will be so
many sorts that are but little known in the
market, that it will be difficult to sell them
for fair price, in fact frequently many of
them must be sold at very low price, per-
haps for cider; but when an orchard has
but one variety, like Baldwin, when 1t
bears hundred barrels OF apples, 1t Is not
half the trouble to gather and pack them,
and II we'll assorted they always command
a ready sale at fair price, because it Is all
apple so well known that 1t can be shipped
and sold abroad. Whenever it is decided
| to set an orchard, whether 1t be small or
! large, If the apples are to be sold In the
| market, as q rule, 1t Is best not TO nave
more than one or two varieties; there may
DO rare exceptions to this; If the fruit is tt
| be sold in the home market, and the mark
| ct Is not already supplied with different va
| TleLlcS, IL tud1 Ut SOOu poiiSJ w CIV " PO'
ton OF the orchard with few summer ant
autumn varieties, and several winter yari
cites. But even under such circumstance:
| care must be taken not to get too many va
| rieties.
The apple, to grow well, requires {
heavy, strong soil and yet soil that read
| ily drains off the surface water. In Massa
chusetts there are many side hills which
might be covered with apple orchards Il
advantage. Land that is quite rocky is ev
en- better adapted to the growth of the ap
pie tree than land that is entirely free frou
rocks. The objection which some brin!
to such land Is, that the rocks bruise tn
fruit as it drops, but apples to be good 70
market must not be permitted to drop, ev
en- where there are no rocks, therefore TIL
objection has no weight. Every apple t
be of sufficient value to ship must be care
fully picked by hand from the tree; on
that drops while gathering should never b.
considered as more than third rate. An
other objection offered to rocky land is
that it cannot be easily ploughed and cul
tivated. This is true, but good orchard:
can be grown where the land is never cul
! tivated, providing the trees are kept wei
mulched when small, and well fertiized N
soon as they begin to produce fruit, au(
what grass grows on the land permit to re
main uncut In this way an orchard cal
be grown at very small cost.
In some portions of the State there ar,
large numbers of small natural apple tree:
that are scattered over the rough, rock,
pastures and side hills; these the farmer:
boys could graft with some good variety
and thus In few years get an orchard
composed of the very best of trees at ,
trifliDg expense. 1t is believed by many
4. bat ,l.,ra IA.
seed was planted will make better tie,
than one that has been transplanted. Whel
trees are purchased to set in such places
care should be taken to get good one, anC
| if possible to get those that have not ha(
| ibe spurs cut from the trunks; these ar,
needed to send forth leaves to shade tn,
| trunk To get good trees and set then
well is very important, but it is not so i'm
| portant as it is to have the trees properly
cared for after they are st. While we have
no doubt that it will paw to raise apple:
for the market, when the trees are wei
cared for, we feel quite sure it will not pay
if the trees are neglected, therefore ever,
| farmer before he decides to set an orchard
shouln first settle the question whether o.
not he is willing to spend time and money
enough to keep the orchard in the very
best condition; If he is not, he had bettel
abandon the project Probably one-half o
all the apple trees transplanted during thu
last SO years have been so entirely neglect
ed that they have proved an Improbable in
vestment The business of raising apples
| like slmost all others, requires constan
care or failure will be the result. Will
proper care the outlook now is that few
crops promise in the future any better thar
the apple, but in setting an apple orchard
! the farmer must look his farm over and set
| what portion of it is adapted to the growth
of the apple, and select such as he can bes
spare. 1t is very doubtful if it is best tt
select the best garden spots, or the best
moving fields; better look over the pas
lures, and see if some portion of them will
not make just as good orchard land as thu
garden or the moving flelds.-MaSsachuSett>
| PIou0LOnn