The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-10-01

neer VINO must walt IOr apple trees &c
grow, but these are inadequate to the
demands of the families of our progress
sive American farmers.
In planning for a home orchard
care must be taken to have a success
sion of apples during the entire sum
mer. Apples in their time of ripen
ing are generally classed as summer
fall and winter. The farmer should
have all these. The earliest apple we
grow is the Early Harvest. 1t is
chiefly valuable as an eating apple. II
is not very high in quality, is not a
very good cooking apple and is poor
shipper Still few trees may be very
profitably grown on every farm. Two
to four trees are enough. The next
apple in the summer class is the Vel
low Transparent. It's use is just the
reverse of the Early Harvest. 1t is not
a really good eating apple but is very
fine cooker. The tree is an upright
grower, it bears well every year and
the apple sells we'll if not too many
are thrown on the market at once. BY
all means plant a half dozen of these
trees for family use. If more are
raised than the family can use some
body will want them.
The next in order is the Duchess OF
Gutenberg. 1t is sour apple and has
to be very ripe before most people VIII
relish it as an eating apple. But as
cooking apple it is doubtful if it has
ever been surpassed. 1t can be cooked
when not more than half grown. 1t
is true that at that stage it will have
greenish taste but many people like
that. But when it has reached it's ma
turity and begins to get mellow 1t is
superb as a sauce apple. Just stew 1t
and serve it in that shape and it can
not be surpassed. 1t takes good
deal of sugar but when well sweetened
there is body to it nearly everybody
likes From six to ten trees may be
planted When these are in full bear
ing more apples may be produced than
an ordinary family can use, but 1t is
good seller. 1t stands a good deal
of rough usage without showing any
bruises. 1t is never a good eating
ample on account of it's SOurneSS. One
thing can be said in favor of growing
this appl ethat cannot be said OF many
others-the tree is extremely hardy
The writer once had an orchard in
Iowa with two hundred Duchess
trees in it. One severe winter one
thousand of his trees were killed but
not a vestige of injury could be found
on any of his Duchess trees. 1t may
be grown in Minnesota and from ocean
to ocean across the American contl'
nent. The tree makes good stock on
which to graft some of the more tend
er varieties.
The Red Astrachan is a good sum-
mer apple The tree is very hardy.
The apples are apt to be Irregular In
size and shape, and frequently they
crack open badly. The tree, when full
grown, bears enormously, for it attalns
great size for an apple tree. The ap-
pies are good to eat, somewhat tart,
but relished by many people. 1t Is a
good cooking apple.
One of the apples that should never
be left out of the home orchard is the
Red June, commonly catalogued as the
Carolina Red June. The tree is an
upright grower, it bears enormously
and bears every year. AS an eating
apple it is ahead of all those named
before. 1t is a good cooker, also. Inc
apples set too thick on the tree most
wears but this can be remedied by jul
dicious thinning, matter that will be
thoroughly discussed further on. The
children will always hunt out the Red
June trees and flock to them as bees
will seek Linden bloom for honey
Four or five trees will probably be
enough for an ordinary family. II
the apples are properly thinned the
surplus will always sell well. The
foregoing will make good selection
for summer use.