The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-28
New England Apple Crop Growing.


New England is enjoying to a mark
ed degree the benefits of the apple
boom," which was fostered by the rail
roads of the section, and widespread
interest is shown in the effort to de
velop orchards of this fruit through
out tne six states. Several compan-
les have been organized for the pur-
pose of setting out large plantations
and the work is beginning TO show
very satisfactory results. One con
Germ has planted 5000 trees and in
tends to set out additional growth each
spring, so that by the time the first
sets begin to bear the orchard will be
| approximately twice as large as at the
present.
individuals. too, are taking an active
interest in the matter and at nufler-
Gus places in Maine, New Hampshire
and Massachusetts new orchards of
from 200 to 1000 trees have been start
ed on land well adapted for the pur-
pose but heretofore finding its princi-
| pal value as pasture lots" That the
result will mean profits to those who
develop the orchards scientifically no
one with experience in apple culture
doubts and no fear is expressed tnat
the incursion on the New England-New
York markets by the beautiful in APP
] pearance but tasteless in flavor prod
uct of the western fruit farms can be
easily repealed. One of the leading
orchardists of New England, Mr.. Cy
rus Miller of Haydenville, Mass, gives
much valuable advice to present and
| int ding orr in n cnriac of n ri In
| les in the New England Farmer.
Among other things he said recently
The best land and location on farm
is none too good for the apple orchard
The average farm land is not worth
over 800 per acre and, if planted to
apple trees, and well cared for for a
period of ten years 1t may be worth
from $500 to $1,000 per acre, with
still further increase in value as the
trees become more productive. TIE
acre of well grown, cared for apple or
chard is one of the most valuable ac-
res devoted TO agricultural purposes
that we can find in New England,
hence no land is too good or too well
| located to be utilized for that purpose.
AS to which is the best exposure de-
ponds largely upon the surroundings.
In proximity to bodies of water the
| best exposure is toward the water. In
localities subject to late spring frosts
the safest exposure is toward the
north, as this helps retard the period
of bloom until danger from frost is
over. On the other hand, fruit grown
on northerly exposure especially if
1t be steep, will not ripen or color as
fcrh lxr 10 l. Il.
While opinions may differ on this
point, my own jugment is that the
ideal soil for apple growing is a stony
loan. While the apple tree readily
adapts itself to great variety of soil,
tninf 1t will not be disputed that it
does i1uch better on some than on
others. The light, sandy soils may be
more easily worked, but they ere usu-
ally deficient in plant food and are not
retentiye of it when fertilizers are ap-
piled to them. Clay soils are too
heavy and difficult to work and the
soil is liable to bake in the hot sun
of the summer months, besides fire.
quently being poorly drained There
is scarcely farm in the BILLY section
of New England on which may not be
found site, either large or small,
that is fairly well adapted for the
growing of the apple.
In my opinion the best trees for
New England orchard planters to use
are the two year old trees, that is two
years from the time of being budded.
We find many planters using whips,
or year old trees, making the argu-
ment that they are cheaper while in
reality they are not cheaper when val
ne received is considered, neither are
they likely to prove satisfactory to the
planter as regards future growth. A
first class two year old tree may be
purchased for $25 per 100. The year
old trees may be bought for from IS