310 TRAiSrSACTIOlSfS OF THE CENTRAL 



Mr. John Davis, of Decatur, Illinois, then read the following essay on 



THE APPLE. 



Among cultivated fruits, tlie apple very justly takes the lilphest rank. As to har<lihood and ease 

 of cultivation, as to its numerous varieties, its keeping qualities, and its varied and important uses, 

 it is justly stj'led the first of fruits. ^Vhen the trees are once started they frequently bear good 

 annual crops for a whole generation, without much cultivation, pruning, or other attention. For- 

 merly, the trees were quite free from disease, and the fruit reasonably sound. The size of the fruit, 

 and the broad spreadiug form of '.he tree, allows the apple to be easily gathered and conveniently 

 handled. So commonly known are the available and valuable characteristics of this fruit, that the 

 farmer wlio has not his apple orchard as part of his farm surroundings, is very properly styled 

 tliriftless and unenterprising. 



In detailing my experience with the apple, I will first state that my location is in Central Uliuois, 

 on a ricli, black prairie soil, which, in former years, has borne large crops of wheat, oats, rye, 

 corn, and weeds. Has, from time to time, been sown in grass and used as meadow and pasture. 

 Some portions of the ground, in former years, were used for feed lots for stock, and thus have been 

 heavily manured. The land has been In cultivation over thirty years, yet it is richer and better for 

 most crops than at first. My first trees were set in the spring of 1857, other trees were set in the 

 spring of 1862, and still others in the spring of 1864. In the spring of 1867 about four hundred more 

 trees were set, largely Eawles' Janet, with a few Duchess, Wiigener, Ben Davis, and English Golden 

 Russet. The Janets and Russets were four years old when they were set. Some of them died 

 (over ten per cent.) ; others have hardly recovered from the shock of transplanting, at the present 

 time. The other varieties were two-year trees. None died, and all are now fine and thrifty. 



The ti-ees on my grounds which have borne most, in proportion to age, are in the order named: 

 Sweet June, Keswick Codling. Winesap, Willow Twig, Red June, Rome Beauty, Limber Twig, 

 Winter Swaar, Rawles' Janet, Roman Stem, Hocking, Trenton Early, English Golden Russet, Sweet 

 Nonsuch, Golden Sweeting, Rambo, Carthouse, Milam, Talmau Sweeting, Early Harvest, Fulton, 

 Early Strawberry, and Fulton Strawberry. Some of the oldest and largest trees have scarcely borne 

 at all. The most notable example is the Fulton Strawberry, standing where once was a hog pen, 

 with manure and cobs afoot deep. I believe all tlie varieties set in 1857 have borne; all set in 1862 

 have borne, except the Autumn Swaar; all set in 1864 have borne, except Northern Spy, Fall Janet, 

 Summer Queen, and Trenton Early; those set in 1867 have not borne. Most of the trees have been 

 cultivated all the time with some hoed crop. One summer we raised oats, and the following winter 

 the mice, in the stubble and- weeds, damaged some of the trees. The trees have usually been 

 healthy, and the fruit sound. The past summer dead patches of bark, several inches in extent, have 

 been observed on the Rawles' Janet Though the bark seemed dead to the wood, yet if sufl'ered to 

 remain on the tree, a new bark has formed under it, and the wood appears sound. The fruit of the 

 Red June and the Wlnesap have been much affected with scab the past season. 



Tliere are some varieties which I have named as having borne, that, on further planting, I would 

 leave entirely out of the list. The Fulton Is very variable; on the same tree some fine apples, but 

 mostly poor specimens, and a poor bearer. The Early Strawberry is too small and unproductive. 

 The points of the limbs die badly, from some cause. I should not plant largely of Fulton Straw- 

 berry, Fall Janet, Autumn Swaar, or Northern Spy. The Trenton Eiirly, Early Harvest, and Golden 

 Sweeting, are not great beai'ers, but the fruit is large and very fine. The Hocking, with me, is first 

 class in tree and fruit; yet I hear it is not hardy North. The Sweet June is my greatest early bearer, 

 except, perhaps, the Keswick Codling. I would not discard any good standard apple, like Janet or 

 Red June, because of recent disease or temporarj^ imperfection of tree or fruit. It would be wiser 

 to investigate the matter and search for remedies. Were I to set a new orchard, on land similar to 

 that I now occupy, with a view to family supply and the sale of a surplus, I would clioose about the 

 following varieties, prefering them in the order named: 



Winter— Rawles' Janet, Wlnesap, Willow Twig, Carthouse, English Golden Russet, Winter 

 Swaar. Rome Beauty, and Roman Stem. 



Fall aud late summer— Hocking, Ranibo, Trenton Early, Keswick Codling, Golden Sweeting, and 

 Sweet Nonsuch. 



Summer— Sweet June, Red June, and Early Harvest. 



This list is made from the actual performance and apijearauce of trees on my own grounds, aud 

 would, of course, be modified by further experience, and the observation of the experience of 

 others. 



Always locate the apple orchard on high land, not quite level; set the trees pretty thickly on the 

 prairies, say about 18x30 feet for the usual varieties, tlie smaller growers closer. Cultivate the trees 

 well for five or six years. Corn is a good crop for an orchard, if you allow the trees plenty of room. 



When the trees are old enough to bear, plow the land into such a shape as to allow the water to 



