146 State Horticultural Society. 



FEUITS FOE THE FARMEE. 

 By J. A. Kennedy, Eavanna, Mo. 



The subject of ''Fruits for the Farmer" being- assigned me for 

 a paper to be read at the next meeting of the society suggests to me that 

 in order to meet the wants of the present time to the best advantage, I 

 ought to give my attention to the selection of a farm orchard. Farming 

 and fruit raising are separate occupations. The farmer needs an orchard 

 only for family use, sufficient to supply the household demands, and he 

 wants them so selected as to have fruit as near the year round as possible, 

 from the earliest ripening to the latest keeper. He wants the hardiest 

 and the surest and in connection with this he wants as good a quality as 

 is attainable with good yield and sure bearing. The qualities to be con- 

 sidered are for eating, cooking and drying. One hundred trees would 

 be a large orchard for family use and probably more than would get 

 proper attention from a man whose business is raising grain and stock, 

 the source to which he looks for the wherewith to meet the immortal tax, 

 and his other necessary obligations. If a man attends closely and 

 strictly to his farm, he is apt to neglect his orchard. He is most sure to 

 slight one or the other, and it is very apt to be the other. 



Drawing from the knowledge of my limited experience, I would 

 plant for a farm or family orchard in this county about the following 

 varieties and numbers of each in an orchard of one hundred trees: Com- 

 mencing with the earliest bearers, I have found it would be the Ecd 

 Astrachan. It has good cooking qualities and is a fine large apple, but is 

 no keeper, and it is a shy bearer. I would plant from three to four trees, 

 followed by about two each of the Eed June, Sweet June, Duchess, Sum- 

 mer Pearmain and Cole's Quince, the latter for its special good cooking- 

 qualities, which commences as soon as it attains to any considerable size, 

 the Pearmain for its good eating qualities. The Cole's Quince is also a 

 good bearer. For variety and beauty as well as good bearing and gen- 

 eral use a couple of Shenango Strawberry might find a place. These I 

 would succeed by about the following number of fall apples in regular 

 order as follows: Two Autumn Swaar, two Maiden Blush, four Lowell. 



