Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-08

age In one or more of the best apple sec
tons. and most of these reasons are not
readily overcome. The ravages OF new
insect pests In many parts of the country
have destroyed millions OF bushels Of APP
pies annually.
As result of the expert study given,
II is believed that most Of these adverse
con d tons can
control OF rests now be controlled
Is Now Possible. IN, ",'a :, -" ,na a'a ,ress
which have been recently planted larger
crops OF apples may he confidently looked
for within the next few years and the
superiority OF their quality seems assured
While men cannot change the weather.
they can overcome its bad effects by pro-
tective measures In the great apple re-
gions the growers no longer leave an
orchard Of budding trees exposed to the
late spring frost. They temper the air
Of a chilly night by burning fires. using
crude petroleum as fuel. This causes a
black smoke which settles as a cloud over
the trees and the frost is prevented. The
cost is tritiing In comparison with the
value of the protection and the use OF
these orchard lamps Is now becoming gen.
eral. 4 few years ago Missouri farmer
spent 5000 one spring upon lamps and
oil to burn in his orchard of $40 acres
In the fall he sold his crop for SGl.oU
The adjoining orchards, being unpro;ect-
ed during the spring frosts. produced no
apples.
The selection Of trees is important to
the development OF a good apple crop
1t is now recognized that a variety which
reaches perfection In one part OF the
country may fail In another. The apple
specialists are succeeding in propagating
varieties of apples suited to every eli
matte condition. Apple propagatine plants
are being conducted at scores of ex-
pertinent stations. As result, the De
partment of Agriculture has been able
to supply list OF the apples best suited
to all parts of the country Two or
three varieties seem to flourish generally.
but they do not produce uniform quail
ity of fruit In all localities.
Among the apples quoted rs being com
mercially valuable i'm most parts of the
country is the deceptive Ben Davis, which
looks so luscious and usually tastes so
fiat. The Department of Agriculture has
been experimenting with the Ben Davis
and is now Of the opinion that this va
riety requires an unusual amount of
warmth to ripen he fruit. 1t has been
found that Ben Davis apples produced
in the southern states are far more pal
and it is believed that by cultivation in
a selected LOCALITY this we'll known apple
may become as valuable as its appear
ance indicates.
i:
The localities i'm which certain varieties
reach their highest perfection may be
widely separated.
Where varletleS for instance, the
Reach Perfection. a,ha o" - r. 80, :.
its highest quality in two different
regions-the Piedmont section OF Virginia
nd N nd oil h
western coast especially i'm Oregon and
Washington. 1t frequently yields salts
factorily in other places, but in these
two regions it's perfection seems assured.
The Baldwin Is the perfect apple OF. cen
trail New York, although this is upon the
lists as well ADAPTED to number of
other regions. The Ozark region OF
Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri is ia
nous for the quality Of It's apples and
number of new varieties have originated
there. but the apple which is favored
there is the Winesap. regarded by the
OZarkers as the finest fruit on earth.
The apple-growing regions Of the coun-
try have been greatly extended within
the past few years. Formerly the apple
was looked upon a northern fruit.
Now 1t Is grown with commercial success
as far south as Georgia, and even in
northern Florida a number OF private or
chards are producing apples Of excellent
quality. A southern writer claims that
apples are fast becoming one of the i'm
portant crops OF Georgia The four chief
crops of that state are now
apples peaches. cantaloupes and water
melons. Formerly peaches took the lead.
but within the last ten years the peach
crop has been falling off and the apple
crop has increased proportionately.
k
According TO the census of 1910, there
were 151. 800, $40 apple-bearing trees in the
country and g.
Yield Too Low. 7al.si5 not bear
Experts Declare. able thai seyers,
millions have been planted since then
and that the number OF bearing trees has
increased. Yet the average yield of APP
pies is less than bushel to- tree. The
present apple crop is expected TO APP
proximate 4AG00.0W barrels of three and
"A half bushels. For several years this
haG been the approximate crop. Apple
experts claim that the average WELD for
a mature tree should he at least three
bushels. When this is reached the United
States win be not only able to supply all
Of its own apple needs. but TO ship mil
lions of bushels to Europe.
The age at which tree begins TO bear
differs with the varieties. yellow trans
parent apple trees i'm some orchards have
begun TO bear fruit as young as three
years, Dut some others 90 not Dear ia =
any noteworthy quantity until they are
ten or twelve years old. Despite some
Of the record trees of the great north .
western orchards, the greatest number or
crops have been taken from
which have been cultivated for
/ quarter Of q century or more. The
Piedmont district OF Virginia and North
Carolina produces millions of bushels an
1ually. but less attention has been be-
slowed upon the crop from this region
because il has been so long established
The age average of the apple tree is
lutte as indeferninate as any other mat II
er connected with IT. In the eastern
states thousands of trees are still bear :.
ng good fruit which are known to be /.
,ver century old. Tourists who visit :
canada are sometimes invited TO eat APP
lies taken from the apple trees under
which Evangefine and Basil plighted
heir truth at Grand Pre- nver a cenfnr,.