Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-10
Quarterly Meeting of the
County Pomological
Society.
VALUABLE ESSAYS READ.
Important Meeting at DOwney
City-Essays and Discussions
of Great Interest to
Fruit Growers.


of the association, and more who were
interested in, and in sympathy with the
object Of this society. 1t was found,
however, that the fair then in progress
together with other arranged me etings
would interfere with the interests and
attendance, and short business session
only was held in the Afternoon.
There was no exhibit of fruits by the
{ association as such, but the fine display
of fruit was largely those of members as
of those who subsequently became
members.
The evening session of the society
opened with Vice.President j. w. Sal.
lee in the chair.
An able paper on apple culture was
read by Mr.. Milton Thomas, followed
by an interesting debate on the relative
merits of mesas and moist lands as most
profitable for cultivation, opinions pre-
ponderating for the farmer.
ESSAY ON APPLES BY MILTON THOMAS.
Mr.. President and members of the Los
angeles County Pathological Society,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-Some time
ago was notified by our Secretary, MIR.
Allies, and later by Mr.. F. r. Willis,
that was expected to have an essay on
the apple. There is much to say in re.
gard to this fruit. The origin OF the
apple is not known. The apple is men.
toned in the Bible, but it was not the
apple that we have to-day. Pliny says
that there were twenty-five varieties
known to the Romans. We have sew
eral hundred varieties. Downing says !:
apple is the world renowned fruit
temperate climates" The growth,
re and quality vary in different locali-
ties. Some apples are adapted to one
locality, and in other localities will not
succeed at all. The apple is better
known than any other fruit, and all
things considered is the best fruit
known. As food it can be compared
to bread and meat. It's use is conducive
to health and it can be used in various
ways
Vast quantities of this fruit are con.
sumad, furnishing a good and whole.
some diet for the millions. In fact, it
is hard to say too much about the
apple as q food. But | am reminded
that had better commence at the be-
ginning of the apple-in the nursery.
The apple is grown by the nurseryman,
either by budding or grating, planted
in the nursery six inches apart, in rows
three feet apart, and when one year old
are from four to six feet high, and at
that age should be planted in the
orchard, After planting in the orchard
! the trees should all be cut back to uni.
form height of three and q half feet.
Then keep all the buds and sprouts
bbed off below two feet, leaving
1ches growing on every side, and
when two years old cut back two-thirds
of the last seasons growth, and at such
distance from the trunk that the ends OF
them will form pyramid, and all prun-
ing done afterwards from year to year
will become easy, to any one who has
attended to these rules.
The orchardist must keep the tree so
thinned out or cut back as to admit
light and air to preserve the vigor and
symmetry of the tree. The central and
upright branches will require to be cut
back most. This general plan should
be followed from year to year, pruning
superhuous bradches out or cutting
back, as your judgment may deem best,
remembering there is very little danger
of pruning too much. Ii you want your
fruit better and larger, prune your trees
more than the above indicates. The ap.
pie will grow on the most OF soils. but
in California strong, rich soil Is the
best. 1t will grow on sandy soil and
produce good fruit, but deep, rich soil
is preferable. Cold, wet soil. where the
water is near the surface, is not suitable
for the apple. AS to the distance. ap-
ple trees should be planted 20 to 80 feet
apart; is as near as they can be planted
and do WE'LL In this county apple trees
are usually planted too near together.
The orchardist will get more apples to
the aero 25 to 30 feet apart than he will
l2 feet apart. In this connection l
would impress upon those who think OF
plaatinp apple trees to plow deep, to
liz inches, and under no circu instances
to SOW barley or any small grain or al.
falfa among your trees. 1t will always
pay to manure your apple trees, as well
6s any other tree. Now, as to cultiva-
;on. cultivate thoroughly and keep
Aspil we'll pulverizsd and all weeds
|iestroyed; in other words, keep the or,
,hard entirely free from weeds, and
heyer irrigate your apple or any other
Reciduous fruit trees, in ordinary soils.
There is no question in my mind but
hat all deciduous fruits, and also grapes.
AN be successfully grown by planting
81 fair to good soil. plowed deep and
[ept thoroughly cultivated, in almost
ov locality in California, without irri.
atiop, Hoed crops or small fruits can
be plapted between the trees in the or
hard six feet away from the tree, for
he first six or eight years.
Now. would call the attention of or.
lhardists to thinning out the fruit from
l,air annie trees. In the most of Or
bards many varieties bear too heavily,
nd especially the White Winter Pear
,ain AT least one-fourth should be
oLen off. But if this must be done,
Axe off all the small and defective ap-
les and when there ara too many on
he branches, remove them, SO that the
ree will not be overtaxed. Nothing
ontributes more to the quality OF an
mile. and also to size, than thinning
III the fruit. When the orchardist
[athers his fruitin the fall he will not
ave to sort them out, as he otherwise
Dould, and he will have as much fruit
nd his fruit will be worth so per cent.
nore than if he neglects thinning. AS
q gathering, there are but few that are
arefnl enough in this respect. Every
mile should be gathered by hand,
laced in a basket and taken out in the
ame way. Ladders and step.ladder
hould be used in gathering apples.
No annie that falls to the ground
s,su,x'6e put into the basket among the
a Jnieked ones. Apples should not
& removed to the apple.house in CON-
,on wagon, but in spring wagon or a
sa I Then they should be put in as
icu' H. s.oas;hla to prnvida for