122 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



LARGE FRUITS. 



Apples. — The varieties comprising the " standard " apple orchard, so named in 

 contradistinction to the block containing Russian varieties, have on the whole succeeded 

 fairly well, and many kinds have produced samples of fruit. Wealthy, Tetofsky and 

 Duchess have borne heavily for three years, though only planted in 1888. 



Scott's Winter, McMahan White, Gideon and Winter St. Lawrence have borne for 

 two years and give every promise of being useful varieties. 



Other kinds not strictly hardy have fruited this year, but cannot be commended 

 for cultivation when grown upon their own stocks. 



Among these are Ribston Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, Wagener and Swayzie Pomme 

 Grise ; varieties of much value from a commercial standpoint, and highly appreciated 

 as dessert fruits. There is little doubt that the area of their successful and profitable 

 culture might be extended by top-grafting them on suitable stocks, as the trees fail in 

 this locality not so much from direct winter killing as from " sunscalding " of the stem 

 and main branches. By using free growing hardy stocks not affected in this way, the 

 fruit grower in this and similar localities may be assured of a measure of success with 

 these desirable apples. 



With a view of securing object lessons of this character, a number of hardy Russian 

 apples have been set in orchard during the past two years, some of which were top- 

 grafted last spring, the remainder are to be top-worked the coming season. 



Among suitable Russian varieties for this purpose are : — Hibernal, Cross, and 

 Silken Leaf. When these are not easily procurable Talman Sweet and Haas (Fall 

 Queen, Gros Pommier) may be used with equal or perhaps greater satisfaction, as they 

 attain greater size than most of the Russian sorts. Wealthy has been used in the 

 experimental orchard to a considerable extent as a stock in testing many new varieties, 

 named and unnamed. It is principally defective, in that the scion frequently outgrows 

 the stock, causing rough and unsightly joints at the points of union. This is a serious 

 defect and should be guarded against. 



In practising top-grafting on a large scale one of two methods may be followed, 

 viz., top- working the young trees at two years old in the nursery row, and setting them 

 in orchard the following spring, or performing the operation one or two years after 

 setting in orchard. The first plan is the more commendable. 



The scions to be used should be cut before severe weather sets in. They will keep 

 in good condition if packed tightly in boxes with dry forest leaves and stored in a cold 

 cellar. The scions should be perfectly dormant and the grafting be done during April 

 and early May, or before the beginning of leaf formation ; fair success will follow the 

 operation in this locality up to 1st June. Feeble and immature growth are too likely 

 to follow as a result of such belated work, and it always pays the grafter to keep well 

 ahead of the season. The union should be covered with grafting wax and bound with 

 a cotton bandage. 



In the accompanying tabular statement a classification of varieties which have been 

 tested in the standard orchard since 1890, is made on the basis of relative immunity 

 from winter injury during the past four years. Those in column 2 " slightly injured " 

 lost in most cases only a few inches of the terminal growth. In column 3 the injury 

 was more severe, and was often accompanied by sunscald and stem injury. In column 

 4 will be found the names of those which seem to have been unable to withstand the 

 vicissitudes of this climate and which, therefore, if planted at all in this and similar lo- 

 calities, climatically considered, should only be tried as top-grafts in a limited way. 



