Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1890-12-05
THE FARM FIELD AND GARDEN,
Selected and Original Articles On Various
Topics Of Interest to Rural
Readers.
Practical Information, Submitted By Practi-
cal Men For the Use ofStoch
men and Farmers.

SOm0 Oh Iu0 pIllClEEl apple growing uS-l
tricts and with such diminished yields
in others THAT the states which can real
ize on hall, third or quarter crops are
deemed fortunate. The often recurring
vicissitudes Of the apple crop are having
discouraging effect on many farmers,
leading them to the belief that the crop
is not as profitable on tho average as
grain crops or more diversified charac-
ter Of farming. It is'said that with oc-
casional crops so large as to glut the
markets, followed by off years, or per-
shaps an almost apple famine year like
the present, a better use can be made Of
the land than to encumber it with apple
trees. At the least it is thought by the
dissatisfied ones that the orchard area
Of the country should not be increased
to add to Improbable over production
on the ono hand and Improbable occu-
pancy Of fruitless acres on the other.
While. it is true that we have off years
with their insect bitten, knotty apples
and alternate years Of plenty with unre-
munerative prices, it is nevertheless
worthy Of careful consideration whether
improved methods of cultivation, more
care in the selection Of varieties and
more attention to the preservation and
marketing Of the crop may not do very
much toward lessening the grounds for
such complaints.
In the first place, in fruitful years a
large proportion Of the crops is unsalable,
because Of its imperfections and many
undesirable varieties. It may also be SO
far from market as to make it unproit-
able. Rarely, indeed, is there a year
when apples Of first class quality will
not pay hand dsomely for their raising, if
within reach Of good transpo portation fa-
ciities. There are many varieties so
excellent that when produced in their
best condition they are never in exces-
sive supply. Of such fruits the markets
Of Europe and our own cities are al
ways ready to receive large quantities.
Again, il half crop years the advance in
prica mpre 4 for
| the smaller yield, especially II care has
been taken to combat insect foes at the
proper times. As a rule orchards re-
ceive so little attention that it is a won
der many Of them are not even more un-
profitable. Instances are known Of
orchards Of fine varieties where the trees
stand so closely packed together that
the sun cannot strike the ground at all
during the leafy season. In some OF
these there has not been even quarter
crop Of good apples in any year of the
last four, except it might be along the
borders or on branches so high as to
make the cost of gathering them equal
to their value. An orchard growing
rampant for want of judicious pruning
| or clumps Of apple trees closely huddled
together on rich soil must Of necessity
be improbable.
Many Of the unproftable orchards are
so unwisely located that an experienced
orchardist might confidently predict
their future before they came into bear
ing. Low lying, rich alluvial lands can
without doubt be put to better use than
raising apples where good keeping quail
ties are to determine their value. I'm
less a farmer has spots of high or rolling
land of only medium fertility for grain
crops orcharding beyond enough for his
own or Immediate neighborhood wants
is not advised. Furthermore, there is
the same necessity for rotation in Or
charding as with grain crops. Only in
those cases where the nature of the loca-
ton makes it an exceptionally favorable
/ one should an old orchard be succeeded
by a new one on the same ground, says
the agricultural editor of The New York
World, authority for the foregoing.