The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-01-14
ABOUT THE APPLE.
1T is THE MOST EXTENSIVELY USED OF
ALL THE FRUITS.
The Crop Failed This Season Along the Az
lantic Coast and the Easts Supply Comes
from the Central West

awoke enc morning last April TO see
a full inch OF snow on the ground few
realized how much damage had been
done by the storm. All through the
farming districts the fruit trees Were
either in fun bloom or the buds wen
advanced, So that the snow lay Ike
cold, wet blanket on the buds ana
killed nearly all OF them, thus destroy
ing or bllghtlng the fruit crop. When
the peaches In Delaware and Mary
land We're reported killed by this frost
1t was still hoped that the apple trees
which bloom much later, would be all
right, but, as the season advanced, 1t
was found the buds had been injured
and the years crop would be inferior
and in many places complete failure.
The apply is the most used OF all
the fruits grown II is world re
nowned, and has figured In history and
the lives Of most nations since the
earliest record. Poets and philoso-
piers have told Of It, ana mythology
has endowed 1t with wonderful yir-
tues, The golden fruit Of Hesperus
was an apple; also the famous tree OF
knowledge bore apples.
The apple is a native OF all tenn
perate climates and although most Of
the kinds cultivated to-day in this
country are from seed brought from
some part Of Europe the trees have
so adapted themselves to our soil as
oftentlmes to bear better in this coun-
try than in their original homes. 1t Is
a very hardy and somewhat slow bear
ing tree, but very long lived In many
cases trees viii live and bear for a
century ana when well cared for even
longer. Naturally, the apple tree bears
well only every other year. This,
however is remedied by helps given to
the fruit by the farmer, So that the
tree is able, by means of extra fertil-
izing and careful pruning, to overcome
the debility caused by putting so much
strength in the crop, and unless eli
matte changes interfere, each year is
a full bearing one in good orchards.
Young trees are raised from seed
the pulp of the cider mills being sent
to the nurseries for this purpose, The
seedlings grow unhlndered for a year
when they are sorted and transplanted
in the nursery After this they are
grated and left to grow for at least
another year before being put out in
the orchard. Then they are set out in
rows about forty feet apart, where
they will continue to grow slowly and
bear good crops until old age or some
blight destroys them The custom OF
planting apple trees in rows originated
with the ancient Romans. and has
been followed by all farmers since that
time. Almost any kind Of soil win
suffice for the apple, but it thriyes best
IN a strong, sandy loan and in a mod
crate climate.
The growing Of apples for market is
the most thoroughly carried on Of all
fruit raising industries. The main
part Of the crop for the New York
market comes from New York State /
and New England. There are many
fine apples shipped from Ohio, Mis- |
souri, and that part Of the country,
while this year, owing to the partial /
failure Of the crop in all these places,
fine apples have come to our markets
from Oregon, as well as Michigan and
Kansas.
The apple is popular on account OF I
its variety of uses and its adaptability
for use as food, both raw and
cooked, and the kinds most in demand
are those that can be eaten in either
of these ways. A few apples ripen
early in the summer and in the early
fall months, but the majority Of the
crop reaches maturity during the
months Of October and November, and
even later in the season. These win
ter apples are picked when full grown
and colored, being allowed to stay on
the trees as long as the frosts will per
NIT without doing injury to them,
when they are packed and sent to
market Many are reserved for dry
Ing, this part Of the apple consumption
being larger than would appear from
the small quantities used in our mar
kets The dried apple is shipped all
over the world, and when cooked
makes a very palatable dish, especial
Iy in those climates where the fresh
fruit will not keep. Many crops In
whole regions are used by the driers
and large plants are established IN
carry on this industry. South Amer.
lea and other southern countries arc
the chief market for apples thus pre-.
pared, although large part Of each
Years crop is consumed in our own
Southern States. Then the cider mills
absorb q part Of the crop, usually the
smaller uneven shaped fruit being
sent there. with the sour varieties
which of late years do not find as
'eady 4 market among the fruit sold
'or eating purposes.
There are almost as many kinds OF
apples as there are orchards, so mn
nervous have the new graftings be.
,ome. All, however, are descendants
" two or three families, as the green.
ngs, the pippins and the spitzenbergs
which were brought to this country
rom Germany, Holland and England
" the early settlers. Many Of these
7arieties Of apples take their names
rom the places where they were first
,rOwn, as the Newtown Pippin. which
originated in the town of that name on ]
Iong Island; Hubbardston Nonpsucb
rom Hubbardstown Mass: the little
ed apple known generally as the snow s
s really the Fameuse, which came
rom a town in old England, whence {
he seed was first brought to Canada. 5
The Jonathan, which within the last !
ew years has become very well Y
nown and much-sought-after apple, I