The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-01-18
THE CULTIVATION OF FRUITS.
I'm trovements and Innovations That HaS
Heen Made Of Late Years.


been Made Of Late Years.
That constant improvement in fruits
has been going on of late years, and in
some cases changes SO great as almost to
constitute new specimens, is too well
known to need more than the mention.
To say nothing about the origin of the
peach or the many magnificent varieties
Of the improved strawberry, nearly all
the fruits we have owe their present ex-
cellence to the improvement wrought in
them by intelligent cultivation. How
long and to what extent this process Of
improvement can be continued is ques-
ton more easily asked than answered,
and another, equally important, is
whether some of the standard varieties
of our old time favorites have in reality
degenerated.
formerly such apples as the Russet.
Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin and
other leading kinds in New England and
eastern states when transplanted west
succeeded well for many years. OF late
the gradual loss of most of their valua-
bic properties has led to the belief that
these varieties have degenerated from
long cultivation. This belief has been
further strengthened by the fact that at
the north and east sensible falling of
Is often noted in their keeping qualities
and otherwise. Assuming it to be true
that the seeming degeneration of apples
in their own habitat wherever it has oc-
CURED, is the result of the loss of ele-
ments originally belonging to the soil,
rather than to wearing out of the va
riety itself, beyond recovery, it would
appear that the only remedy, where such
degeneration exists, is to change to new
er grounds or restore, as we'll as we can.
the soil to better condition.
Climate, soil and location are three
controlling requisites in fruit produo-
ton. The former is beyond our control,
but is by no means to be disregarded
when seeking location for raising
fruit In the apple, which we place at
the head of all our fruits, we have one
which so we'll accommodates itself t.
varying climates that its production,
except in the extreme south, is almos.
universal. The more tender peach occa.
only at home in milder regions.
For each congenial soil is prime
requisite, and experience has shown that
newly cleared lands, before they have
been robbed by long cultivation of thei,
original stores of plant food, have uni.
formly proven the best for these, as in.
deed for fruits of all kinds. From thia
we may learn that for future fruit pro
duction on soils that have been given
over to cultivation for years the missing
elements should as far as possible bs
supplied. BY soil analysis, which any
farmer can now obtain from his state
experiment station, he may learn ap.
proximately what is most needed.
It is now well understood that even
where both soil and climate are not the
best for raising fruit, many of their dis
advantages may be overcome by the
choice of proper location. Formerly
nearly all orchards were located on the
richest alluvial lands, where, for time
only, they succeeded well. Gradually
orchards began to be planted on adjacent
benches or plains of more elevated land.
Now we have learned that no hills are
two high for successful orcharding.
There is no finer country for the apple
and all winter fruits than is to be found
in some of the mountain sections of the
south, and from Georgia to Michigan the
rule in favor Of high elevations will
hold good.
Another controlling matter in fruit
growing, in our tickle climate. concludes
the agricultural editor of the New York
World, consists in a location favored by
the near presence of large bodies oi
water. On grounds thus situated fruits
are grown successfully year after year,
where without some ameliorating influ-
ence nothing but successive failures
would be presented. Michigan and Del
aware each afford notable examples of
the beneficial. effect of large bodies of
water in the raising of fruits. The same
influence in somewhat less degree op-
crates over belt of considerable width
along the borders of the great lakes, af.
fording a decided advantage in fruit
raising over lands more inland and fur
ther south. The influence of body OF
water is not governed entirely by ita
proximity, but much is due to the elevar
ton of the land and the direction of the
wind. Winds acquire the temperature
of the surfaces over which they pass
and in passing over large bodies Of water
they grow comparatively moist and
warm, the coolest days showing the
greatest difference in their favor over
| the land winds,