Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-09-07
HOW TO GROW APPLES.
Read before the Pomona Grange,
AUGUST az, 1906,

By ELMER WRIGHT, OF Weybridge.
Worthy Master, Worthy Lecturer, and
brothers and sisters of Pomona Grange.
When it was first announced to me
that was to speak before the Pomona
members at Bridport in August. on the
subject, "How to Grow Apples" said,
"for their sakes, why didn't Mrs. Lane
appoint some one who knows more about
the subject by actual experience and OBJ.
servation and study along the line than
II" But when l received my Pomona
programme and found that brother f. E.
Foote, of Cornwall, was to speak on a
relative subject jumped. at the conclu
sion that Mrs. Lane wished to acquire
definitely 1.-THE long and the short" of
the apple business in this section.
have interpreted the meaning of the
subject to he, How to raise Clancy" APP
pies, as'I believe those are the ones we
are interested in mostly. To raise these
l believe there are four conditions or re-
quirements necessary, and it is by the
use of these requirements that l mean to
treat this subject.
These requirements are, first. the
adaptability of the man to the business;
second, :adaptability of the soil for
the production of apples; third, good
stock to start with, and fourth, which is
last but not least, good care.
1t is universally acknowledged that we
are living in the day of specialties, and
in time when man must have
special adaptation for his vocation in or
der to achieve any marked degree of sue
cess, Without this he will be crowded
out and down by his competitors, who
have this natural requirement.
This is just as true in the horticultural
world as in the business or professional
world. There were many orchards set
out last spring by men who were at
tracted by the unusual price received for
apples the year before, that will never
make one penny for their owners, simply
because the men are better adapted to
something else; perhaps to raising fat
cattle, sheep, or horses. There is only
room for few at the top and only those
who possess the requirements will ever
reach the top and remain there.
Very little need be said in regard to
adaptability of the soil, as no one would
be foolish enough to try and raise apples
on some of our fat lands. But even
some of our hillsides are not adapted to
the raising of apples. Some are too
steep, some are too much exposed to
the prevailing winds, while some slope
to the north where the suns rays do not
reach. The more protected from the
frost and winds and the more exposed
to the suns rays, and the nearer the soil
comes to being gravel or loom the bet
ter.
Frosts and cold winds in May tend to
make imperfect fruit if it is not killed
entirely. Sunshine is one of natures
greatest agents in producing fancy ap-
pies, as it not only paints rosy cheeks
but insects are less apt to work in trees
Il.
Most apples will thrive on gravel or loom
but all varities will do well on clay or
mixtures.
Great care should be exercised in select
ing stock, being sure to get the varieties
that will do the best on your soil and I'M
der other local conditions. Also be sure
you get hardy stock of good shape, that
has stood shipment well, as there is often
chance to do better in this line.
Here, too, is where many man
makes his first mistake in orcharding,
that s,of setting too many of one variety.
Care should be taken to have an early
variety, as the Mcintosh Red, medium
variety, as the Baldwin or Greening.
and a late variety like the Northern Spy
This enables you to work your men from
the middle of September right through
to the finish.
l have passed lightly over these first
three requirements as believe the sub
iect was meant to bear more directly up
on the last requirement of good care, and
it is the one l wish to emphasize the
most. The care of your orchard begins
the day your trees reach the station and
should continue until the tree is dead
However, l wish to deal only with the
tree after it has been planted and started
to grow.
During the first few years of the trees
life care must be taken to promote the
proper growth, to produce the future
tree. The little tree or shrut
should be carefully trimmed each year
with a view to future growth and washed
in June and September with weak sol
ution Of kerosene emulsion to kill the
| hnrer nits Or other insacts ininrin1s II