Milford chronicle., 1915-12-03
APPLE GROWING IN DELAWARE
BECOMES GOOD INVESTMENT
Catarrh and
lPennsylvania FarmerO


The farm of E. H. Bancroft and Son
at wyoming, Del, now managed by
Frank c. Bancroft, has gained an en-
viable reputation for the quality OF its
fruit and for honest, intelligent pack
ing. E. H. Bancroft settled at Wy
oming about forty years ago at which
time the region was barren stretch
Of sand with its possibilities for the
production of high-grade fruit still
unsuspected.
At present the orchards, including
trees not yet bearing embraces about
ninety acres. The leading varieties
Of apples which form the basis of ev-
cry orchard are the Stayman Winesap,
the Jonathan and King David. Other
varieties grown are the Nero, the
Rome beautiful and the Missouri Pip
pin.
For the first three years after set
ting, intercropping is practiced in the
young orchards. Peas, potatoes, and
corn have been found the most sat
isfact0ry crops for this purpose.
In the older orchards, crimson Glow
er is used as a cover crop. 1t grows
readily and usually withstands the
mild Delaware winters. After the
summer varieties of apples have been
removed, the land is Immediately pre-
pared and seeded. It is necessary to
seed the orchards devoted to winter
apples earlier, usually about July LIST,
since the limbs soon begin to sag un-
der the weight of the maturing fruit
making It impossible for the mules
60 work.
The plan of spraying adopted dur
ing the past year includes four appli-
cations. The standard lime-sulphur
spray is given early before the buds
begin to break. The second applica-
tiOn given Just as the blossoms are
opening is a heavy solution Of Bor-
deaux mixture. The formula used was
$3.50, or pounds each of lime and
copper sulphate to each so gallons OF
water.
This was followed by light solu
tiOn of lime sulphur and arsenate of
lead, the formula being 3-4-100, or 3
pounds of the lime-sulphur and 4
pounds of the arsenate Of lead to each
100 gallons Of water.
Mr.. Bancroft expresses himself as
much pleased with the results Of this
plan as indicated by the quality Of the
fruit now upon the trees which he de-
eiares to be unsurpassed in his entire
experience.
Thinning has not been praeticed,
ewing to the press of other work but
would doubtless have proved profit
able as the set is very heavy and the
Z. ees are overloaded.
Every provision has been made to
facilitate thorough and rapid packing
Of the fruit. A two-story packing
house with an abundance Of light pro-
Vides ample room for the work. The
upper story is used for the storage Of
stock which is purchased in carload
lots. It is equipped for coOpering.
The cOopers this year are typical Vir-
ginia darkies and are rapid and accur-
ate wOrkmen.
Mr.. Bancroft has for some years
been an ardent advocate of the bushel
box as a suitable package for fancy
Eastern apples, enabling the grower
50 compete successfully with the or
chards of the northwest. The re-
suits obtained from the box-fruit me-
ehanically graded were so satisfactory
that it is planned to greatly increase
the proportion of the apples thus
packed. Each apple is wrapped in an
individual paper and an attractive
Autographed label is placed upon the
box. If the apples are to go into i'm
mediate consumption, the individual
wrappers are omitted. The winter
fruit is placed in cold storage until
such time as the market is prepared
to absorb proftably such high-grade
fruit
Bushel hampers are also Hsed for
summer apples going Immediately up
on the market. The barrel apples
are made into two distinct grades,
first and second class. Under the
Delaware law which becomes opera
tive for the first time during the cur
rent season it will be necessary to
mark the minimum size of the apples
upon each barrel. Good results are
expected from this law.-C. A. Row
land
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