The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-08
APPLES.
Sone Things OF Interest About Apple
Orchards and Crops.

Sorao Things or Interest About Apple
Orchards and Crops.
In the western part OF tho State there are
many fruit growers who raise apples only and
cultivate their orchards with great cnre. In
the Hudson River fruit region apples are
generally raised with other fruit, pears. cher
ries. and SO on. Fruit is shipped regularly from
many railroad stations along the Hudson. and
from every steamboat landing, the shipments
ending with apples In the fall. There are apple
orchards in every county along the Hudson.
Apple trees may bear a little fruit when they
are three or four years old. but they don't do
much before they are seven or eight. At that
ngc, II they have been well cultivated, they may
have quite a few' apples. Apple trees do not.
however, come into full bearing until they are
from twelve to fifteen years old. They last In
full bearing from twenty to Twenty-Five years.
being 1T their best at the age OF from eighteen
to twenty years. The tree lives to be seventy
five or n hundred years old. but after the period
of full bearing its fruit. besides being less in
quantity. is not SO perfect.
Apples are picked by hand, and the careful
picker handles II ladder in such a way rs not to
hurt the tree. He has n half bushei basket,
with n hook. which he hangs on u rung of the
ladder. and he picks sometimes with ono hand,
sometimes with both. In picking apples they
should be turned upward. when they will let 20
themselves. II they are pulled Off there is
danger Of pulling also the spurs or buds OF the
next years apples. already set. In some ORCH
ards the baskets are cmptied upon a cuskio ned
table which is placed In the orchard. In the
Hudson Valley the picking OF early apples begins
in July, and the apple season ends about the
middle Of October.
Some OF the finest apples In tho world are
raised In Canada. and some OF the apple-pro-
ducing districts Of the Dominion are remark
ably prolific. II T. said that the apple prod uct
this. year. reach 600, 900 barrels. 'rhe product
OF Niagara. county in this state is estimated at
Applies naturally bear in alternate years-a
full crop one year. a light crop the next. BY
cultivation and sufficient fertilization this habit
OF the tree can be In a measure overcomo-sO
far that trees which in their of years bore
scarcely any fruit can be made to yield half AS
would be sho. ter lived: IL would be- as old Mt
Twenty-Five years as it naturally would be at
takes this shorter life of the tree into account
IN settling out new trees. II would be possible
year aud the other the next; but in starting an
orchard 'rees arc 40 set out that when they come
into hearing the supply will be continuous.
Apples do not require the same care as pears
or peaches. but they amply repay the most
generous cultivation. In the Hudson Valley
orchards apples have not. until within compar-
atirely recent yeas. received generally the
care that has been bestowed upon other fruits.
carefully for three or four years. and then In
many cases practically left to care for them
selves-to nature. More care is now generally
bestowed upon apples. By farmers as well as by
fruit growers. and there are in the Hudson
River Valley apple orchards that are cultivated
with the utmost care. and more aud more trees
are being set out.
AMONG, the progressive orchards on the Hud-
son Is that of ex-State Senator Addison p.
Jones. of Catskill. Like most fruit growers in
the Hudson River Valley. Senator Jones raises
St fruits besides sid apples; OF apples Die he has IS
trees: This Is n big apple orchard for the Hud-
son Valley. There are many smaller. very few
as a corntield would be. 1t is fed with the fer
filters best adapted to supply its wants. and
the trees are sprayed for fungus and leaf blight.
and for the coddling moth. In the beginning of
TO grow under the trees. The grass serves as a
cushion for fruit that fall. keeps the fruit
clean. and makes better footing in the orchard.
In the fall. attor thefrnit has all been gathered.
the grass and weeds are ploughed under. and in
the spring cultivation is resumed. From the
ten acres of bearing trees. numbering about
5000 barrels Of apples. This WAS their hearing
year. but they are expected to yield 1000 bar
rels next veRr. Two years ago Senator Jones'
picked lT6 barrels ~ astrachans from sixteen
unusual weld for his Baldwins. These trees nre
now thirteen years old. from the time they were
set ont AS young trees. then two years old.
The coddling moth Is n miller that lays It's
eggs in the apple blossom. The egg matches
out as the apple forms. and the worm thus
Matched eats its way into the apple and grows
with 1t.
Some apples are packed in papers. like
oranges. but comparatively few are so packed.
The standard apple barrel holds about three
bushels. The greater number of apple growers
are cooperagcs at various places in the apple
districts. Some fruit growers make their own
barrels. maintaining u cooptraIe AS part Of
their establishment. and buying shocks mostly
in Canada and Michigan,