Mower County transcript., 1903-01-28
S. M. HORTICULTURAL.
Papers Read Before the Recent Meet
ing of the S. NJ. horticultural
Society at Albert Lea.
My Impressions of N. w. Greening
Apple.
j. G. HAWKINS, AUSTIN. T..

Apple.
J.C HAWKINS, AUSTIN. .s
This fine variety 1 consider the most
valuable extra late keeper we have.
The tree is straight, vigorous healthy
grower, one of the hardest of winter
apples, and an early, regular and
abundant bearer. The fruit is large
oblong, smooth, yellowish green, of
attractive appearance, and of mild
pleasant, slightly aromatic sub'acid
flavor, very good for late keeper.
We kept them in good condition in an
ordinary cellar last season till June.
Notwithstanding its late keeping
qualities, it is in good condition for
eating in December, and only few
varieties are superior to it in flavor at
any time. We consider it one of the
most promising winter varieties to
grow for market purposes and few
Investments would be more profitable
than an orchard of n. w. Greening
properly cared for.
In the year 1898 the Northern Iowa
Horticultural Society by resolution
condemned the N. W. Greening apple
as unfit and unworthy Of recommends
tion in the North Iowa and Southern
Minnesota territory. A few men how
ever ps rsisted in planting it and today
it shows up as one of the most promis-
ing varieties Of winter apples for that
territory. Its keeping qualities are
undisputed.
On April 10th, 1899, w. H. Guilford of
Dubuque, Iowa, wrote me: II expected
that cob house N. w. Greening would
tumble, every nursery man in Iowa
knew that N. w. Greening was not
hardy, but they doomed it as the king
Of winter apples, and there is more of it
planted this spring than any other
variety" And yet in the face of all
this denunciation and criticisms the
~ N. W. W."Greening apple seems to be
steadily forging it's way into the. good
graces of the apple growers, and am
fully persuaded that the planter who
plants a good portion Of his orchard to
N. w. Greening makes no mistake.
Benefits of Top Working,
F. W. KIMBALL, AUSTIN.
I am asked to write of the benefits of
topworking. I expect most will think
it can be answered in few words,
yet it is worthy of much thought and
attention. It seems that our trouble
in raising winter apple in this climate
comes largely through inability of the
tree, after ripening it's fruit, to husband
enough energy, as it might be termed,
to carry it through hard winter
Thus we have this condition confront.
ing us: A large crop Of apples and a
hard winter following, with the pro
liability of no live tree in the spring, OF
at least one greatly debilitated. 1t is
not sufficient proof of the hardness o1
tree that it has stood hard winters
and borne little fruit each year. Tht
test is the tree full of fruit and thu
following hard winter. If the tree i.
equal to this, then we have the hard!
winter apple.
Now what do we want to do to ap
proximate this condition as near a
possible? Examine a half hardy tre'
the year after bearing heavy crop O
late maturing apples. The chances ar
that you will find the bark dead at tn
point the limbs leave the tree at tn
upper side of the crotch. You may ais
find the trunk affected but seldom will
you find the first evidences Of decay il
the small limbs and twigs. If yo'
observe closely you will be surprised t.
see the seeming vitality of the smal
limbs even when the trunk is,well Of
the road to decay. Therefore if we cal
get the trunk and large limbs OF tn
hardy 'stock we have travelled quite
piece toward solving the question
We have plenty Of the Russians and o
the crab family that are hardy. Selec
of those What will make good unio1
and that have good strong collars
Take the tree while small, so to hav
not too many limbs. I generally se
out those three or four year Old on
season, aud graft the next. After ii
roots have got : good hold and the tie
has sent out tffsws good thrifty shoot,
take these and put Id whip gratis d
the young thrifty shoots as far ont 4
you can get them. From four to 81
limbs are enough TO form "a good hea
toa tree. Watch your scions CAREFUL
to see that suckers do not rob the1
and ifany scions fail see that the &c
is filled out the next year. You vii
soon have tree with the trun
and main limbs of the hardest kin
that the country produces and n "a