Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST T.
AoRlcULTURlsTs.
Some Up-to-Date Hints About Gull
tivation of the Soil and Yields
Observation-Disclosures viticulture aud
Floriculture.

Observation-Disclosures Vitic0lture and
Floriculture.
horticultural Observation
The authorities that have charge of
the work for the erection of buildings
on the exposition grounds at Paris
have adopted novel method of pro-
tecting the shade and ornamental
trees. One strong objection against
the use of certain parts of the grounds
at Paris was that there were valuable
trees in the way that would apparent
ly have to be sacrificed when the exca-
vations for the foundations of the
buildings were made. But the French
men thought out scheme and put it
into operation. Around the roots of
each tree they built a wooden tank,
enclosing both roots and dirt. The
trees were thus boxed up, but in such
liberal proportions that they went
right on growing as if nothing had
happened. Derricks and tackling
were arranged and the boxes, trees
and all, were lifted high above the
till the work was done. After the
foundations were in place the trees
were dropped back into place and the
boxing removed.
The apple market is in a somewhat
unsettled condition, owing largely to
the atmospheric conditions at harvest
ha 0Sck in
some parts of the apple belt affected
the fall and early winter varieties. The
fruit at picking time appeared sound,
but soon began to rot. Some of the
old stand-bys even began to rot on
the trees. The result is that this class
of apples has arrived in the market
In a condition that may be denomi-
mated doubtful" Nevertheless, these
apples have been rushed into cold
storage, although some of the buyers
declare they know the apples are not
lit to be put into the storage houses.
They say that it is either that or put
ting them upon a weak market and
force sales that would make the mar
ket still weaker. 1t is, however, feared
that when these apples are taken out
of cold storage they will be so soft
that they will have to be disposed of
at an enormous sacrifice. We hear
that a number of cars of Redstreaks
were sold out to peddlers at 60 cents
per bushel. The peddlers were the
only ones that would handle them even
at that low price. They took them
knowing that they could get rid of
them in "a few hours, whereas the
grocers knew that they would have to
hold them for days. The better apples
are being held back as much as pos
sible for two reasons; one of which is
that the fruit men believe that the
market for first-class apples is to take
a jump, and the other the realization
that it is necessary for the present
holders to get rid of their short-keep-
ing varieties.
More and more the English market
is coming to depend on American APP
pies, by which we mean apples from
the United States and Canada. This
year the apple crop of England is re-
ported decidedly short, and what ap-
pies there are there, are of the fall
varieties, and will not at all stand in
che way of the sale of winter apples.
Added to that, they are reported to be
not keeping we'll. This means that
they will be used up by the time win
ter sets in. Germany, Belgium and
Holland have good crops and France
has a fair crop. Reports from abroad
would seem to indicate that if there is
any surplus on the continent that can
be shipped to England it will consist
mostly of fall and not of winter .ap-
pies. Americans are not very likely
to make large shipments of fall apples,
and so our apple trade with Great
Britain should not be affected. Unfor-
tunately for our own part in the trade
the American apple crop is not SO
large that we are in a position to fill
the English market very full of good
apples. We fear the tendency will be
to send forward other than the best
fruit, as the best is likely to be kept at
home by the high prices. The moral
of the situation is that more winter
varieties should be planted in this
country. There are large areas of
hilly land that is good principally for
the growing of apples, such as some
of the worn-out farms from New York
and Pennsylvania eastward We
should have such large supply of
late winter apples that we will always
be in shape to hold what foreign mar
kets we may gain.
Hogs Getting Finer.