The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-06-29

tsgeous. The soil should contain an
abundance of potash, phosphoric acid,
and lime, and should be well supplied
with decayed vegetable matter by ap
plying barn manure or turning under
an occasional crop of field peas or
clover.
OF every 100 orchards 80 were on
high land and 90 on valley land; and So
of every 100 sloped northwest, 20 north
and % south.
Choiceo of varieties iel largely governed
by the demands of the markets, though
soil and climate are also factors. The
III growers report ia varieties, but
scarcely any one grower had more than
10 OF these ia varieties. Those most
largely grown are as follows, in the
order named: Baldwin, Smiths Cider,
Hagloe, Ben Davis, Orange Pippin,
Mains Blush, Red Astrachan, Fallo
water and Rhode Island Greening.
Golden Russet, York Imperial, and
Johnathaa are also becoming popular,
as evidenced by the later paintings.
OF every 100 growers, n buy trees
from local nurseries, 20 from New
York State, and 3 from other sources.
Two-year old trees are most generally
preferred for setting and fall planting
is more largely practiced than spring
planting. There is much controversy
over proper distance, but the tendency
seems to Do towards close planting and
severe pruning, possibly on account of
high price of land. The station advises
at least 40 feet each way for the most
vigorous growers.
Pruning is mostly done in spring. Of
every 100 apple orchards reports, 40
are in sod, and generally pastured; 90
have clean culture 81 have crops grown
in them, and 13 are plowed annually
and 10 ploWed occasionally.
Of every 100, manure is used by 80.
OF these 80, 60 use barn manure an
nually, IL use it occasionally, use
J commercial fertilizers exclusively, and
use mixture Of barn manure and
commercial fertilizers. Manureis used
at the rate of to 90 tons per acre, and
the commercial fertilizers at the rate
of 200 to ], ZOO pounds per acre.
A majority of the growers spray for
fungus diseases and insect, but only
few practice thinning out the young
fruit, though these report it profitable
and the practice is spreading. Trimmed
fruit is larger, of better color, yields as
many bushels, sells higher, costs less
to gather and sort, and is much less
exhaustive to the tree and soil.
The average yield was go barrels per
acre; but the most successful growers
exceed 100, showing that the average
could easily be brought up to 100 bar
rels per acre. The average price realized
was 81 per barrel, or $50 per acre, and
the average cost OF cultivating, prun-
ing, spraying and picking, was $22 40
per acre. This does not include cost of
packing and marketing, as freight rates
and commissions vary so much that it
was difficult to get reliable data on
those points, but there was much com
plant against both the railroads and
commission men.
The best market is the local town or
city, and the best package a paper
lined basket holding third of bushel.
One of the most successful orchards
in the State made the following report:
Two year old trees were procured from
local nursery and set in fall, 39 feet
apart each way, on sandy loan, with
clay subsoil, sloping southwest. In
July or August Of every year, crimson
clover is sown and the crop is plowed
under the following May. The orchard
is then narrowed every two or three
weeks till July or August. when 1. 600
pounds per acre of an, even mixture of
acid phosphate and muriate Of potash
is applied and seed Of crimson clover
again sowed. The average yield in
1895 was 13O barrels per acre, bringing
$142 SO. The average total expense of
cultivating, pruning, manuring, spray
ing, thinning, harvesting, packing, and
marketing was $45 per acre, leaving
net profit of $97 so per acre. Pruning
was generally done in late winter, the
tops being kept open to sun and air.
UTILIZING UNMERCHANTABLE APPLES.
This is the subject of bulletin 81, of
Virginia Station. The bulletin states
that large portion of the Virginia
apple crop is unmarketable nearly
year, and especially in years of heavy
crops. This is due to the fact that very
few Virginia orchardists thin the fruit,
and many neglect fertilizing, pruning