Evening star., 1905-11-11

great age, nobody knows just how old: but
certainly from the evidence presented by
one of them they cannot have been set out
much later than the close of the revolution
and maybe earlier. This evidence is in the
shape of a cannon ball imbedded IN one or
the trees. 1t was probably fired during the
war of 1S12-14, and though Ii is not of the
size of modern artillery projectile. being
perhaps, from what can be seen of it, some
three inches In diameter. the tree must have
been quite a tree to receive the projectie
at all. 1t must therefore, have been some
thirty or forty years old when the slot was
fired.
1t should not be understood that the an
cient trees in Hedly's orchard have been
good bearers all the years they have been
standing. Far from 1t.
Value of Scientific Care.
When Hedly got the farm on which the
orchard stands, these trees had been OF
little value for years. They were gnarled
and twisted, and some of them, at least,
apparently almost dead. But for the al
most hidden projectle from a British gun
they would have been destroyed long ago;
in Rhode Island there is some reverence
for antiquity and many things are saved
there as relics, just because they are old.
Hedly has much the same regard for old
things most Rhode Islanders but not
being a rich man and feeling that he had
to make all his ground profitable he de-
cided that the space taken up by these old
trees must yield its share of the farm g
yearly income.
But before cutting them down he de-
termined to find out if they could not be
made to bear again. So he went at them
patiently. lovingly and scientifically. He
pruned them first then he scraped them
and sprayed them, to kill the eggs of
deieterious insects and worms. He stirred
the soil about their roots and, perhaps,
he regrafted some of them.
l. The resulting WELD has fu11V =
ed him for all his trouble. 1t may not be
equal to that of young and vigorous trees
but 1t Is satisfactory, and in quality 1t
even is not much, if at all, below grade
Besides. there was not so very long
wait while the trees should come into full
bearing.
Old-Fashioned Apples.
New England is still fond of the old
fashioned apples you and knew and liked
when boys.
Russets, sheep noses, often called Gill
flowers, and the like. now seldom found
elsewhere, still hold their own east of
the Connecticut. Russets are in as great
demand in Boston as ever they were, and
Gillfiowers. which would hardly sell else
where, even If offered, are eaten with the
same relish as they We're fifty years ago
The old crows egg apple, a variety or
at least a cousin of the Gillfiower. which
millions of western folk have never seem
probably, is still also popular. 1t IS long
er and not pointed the standard
Gillfiower-the shape of a crows egg, lit
fact, if that means anything to you Be-
sides, it differs in color from the Gillfower
proper; II IS a sort OF maroon red. but
the crows egg is very dark; sometimes
it is called the black Gillf1ower, it is sd
dark.
The Ben Davis and Mcintosh are great
apples today, though few of the older eyes
that will read this article ever looked up
on either Of them in childhood days.
Missouri leads all the other states in the
production of Ben Davises. New York
state probably leads in producing the Nc
IntoSh.
The popularity of both these apples and
such other new favorites as the Newtown