The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-11-17
TIE FRUIT cULTuRIsT
Apples That Drop should be Picked Up
Pears. Peaches and Melons.

Apples That Drop Should be Picked Up
Pears. Peaches and Melons.
The season Of early apples is past,
and as there are always great deal of
fruit lying under the trees decaying,
it is not only wise to gather them up
for tidiness, but for the destruction of
the apple worms contained in the fruit.
If the fruit lies under the trees, there is.
great danger of larger crop Of Goblin
moths next season.
Winter apples have to be harvested,
the crop is not large in this section
this year, but the fruit is of excellent
quality, owing to the great amount Of
moisture. and they will be profitable to
gather for there will not be glut this
year It is we'll to see after barrels be-
fore it is time to pick; those who leave
this matter till the last moment are apt
to run short il they trust to collecting
second hand barrels. 1t is on the whole
best to use new ones, if for shipment,
but for home use it is NOT or so mucn
moment. We like to gather the fruit
and put in piles near the trees for
few days, then when the gathering is
done, sort into grades and put away
for the winter. Russets will keep on
the trees until the last, and really need
a few light frosts to mature them on
the trees If it is desired to make
cider, the russets make the best as it
does not ferment so quickly and may
be kept sweet for the greater part Of
the summer, ours, made from the
Golden Russet apple, was good until
July.
Pears need picking as fast as the
varieties come in. Many of the kinds
are past and we are juSk picking
Bartlett. Fruit should always be gather
ed when the stem parts from the
branch freely; there is no better guide
than this. Our trees have been decim-
ated by the fire blight to such an ex-
i tent that it will only be short time
when there will be no fruit to pick,
1 young, thrifty trees seem to suffer moro
than the older ones
Pears have always been considered
good trees to plant in the peach or
chards, alternating them in the rows,
so that when the peaches are worn out
the pears are still in good bearing for
years. This is still the custom in this
vicinity, and is p-actised on the farms
but it now seems as though the peach
is the longer lived of the two
Melons are very fine this year, owing
to the heat and moisture; the size is
far above the average, but there is
great amount Of cracked fruit, due to
about a week of dry weather we had,
causing a cessation of growth, and then
another start after. the rains. Such
fruits have to be disposed Of in the
home markets quickly, and will rot
ravel or keep long, but there is enough
to balance this loss in the crop by the
quantity on the vines. A disease that
attacks the leaves similar to the violet
spot, seems to be quite prevalent. Soon
every leaf is dead and the crop ruined,
it is quite a serious matter, as the
fruits do not swell a6aer it has got
good start, ald the flavor Of those that
mature is very deficient. Our expert
ment station is, believe, working the
matter out, and soon we shall know
more about it. We have not had it in
cur patch yet, SC have had no chance
10 try remedial measures, but doubtless
there are many readers thsi are Won
dering what is the matter with their
melons.
Plant diseases this year are rampant
owing to the great amount of humidity
and heat that gives just the conditions
for the rapid termination OF the spores
of the various fungi that seem special
ly fitted for each crop. Celery is badly
rusted also, and plum rot has claimed
all the fruit there was-not a great
deal truly. but promised to be of fine
size and quality.-E. o. Orpet, Mass,
in American Gardening.