DECEMBER MEETING. 245 



keeps ^vcll, docs not wilt if kept in close barrels, bears well every year. It 

 makes the best of cider. For baking and sauce it is ahead of Esopus Spitzen- 

 burg. The apjjles sold in spring of this year when apples were very plenty at 

 four and a half to live dollars a barrel in Chicago. They were kept in a bin, 

 and barreled in spring without much loss. There was a little twig blight this 

 year. Three-fourths of the members of their farmers' club place the Golden 

 Ivussct as the ilrst of apples for that country. 



Jle would prefer the Northern Spy for a market to any other variety if he 

 could get by the Ilrst ten years, when they do not bear well. It colors Avell, 

 ripens evenly, holds its flavor well to the last, and keeps long enough into sum- 

 mer. It ships well by water, but is too tender to ship well by rail. 



lie despises the l>en. Davis, and would be ashamed to unhead a barrel and 

 recommend it or sell it to an acquaintance, yet it sells at a high price late 

 in spring. It is a good bearer of fair sized [fruit of even size and quality, and 

 is nice to handle. Buyers, for their own use, do not often purchase a second 

 time. It is a disgrace to any man or country to raise it where they can raise 

 better fruit. 



The Baldwin is not improved by a removal to that northern soil. They are 

 apt to rot at the core and have specks of bitter rot. The trees are quite pro- 

 ductive, but arc rather tender. 



The Khode Island Greening does very well, though a little tender. The fruit 

 is very handsome, but docs not keep like the S^w or Golden Eusset. 



The Red Canada is not much in favor. A few old trees did well, but many 

 died in the late cold winters, — perhaps on account of late fall growth. He has 

 none top grafted. 



The Wagener is very nice and salable ; keeps well, holds it flavor, but the 

 trees overbear, and will generally be short lived. He does not like the tree. 

 AVould set them twenty feet each way. 



Maiden's Blush is perfection for color, keeps till the holidays, is hardy and a 

 good bearer. The beautiful fruit sells well. 



The Fameuse does as well as Maiden's Blush. The Shiawassee Beauty and 

 Jonathan have not been tried. 



The Red Astrachan, in the autumn of 18 TG, Avhen apples were a glut in all 

 our markets, sold readily in Chicago at three dollars to three twenty-five cents 

 per barrel. They were very fine. In the Traverse country apjoles like the 

 Autumn Strawberry are used in December. 



The Talman Sweet is good in all respects in tliat section. Roxbury Russet is 

 a little tender. 



Alexander is much improved in its northern home, and takes altogether a 

 higher rank tlian at the south. 



TREATiIP:XT OF THE TREES. 



AV'hile young they are cultivated Vv'ith hoed crops. After the trees become 

 well established, a variety of crops are raised, as Avheat, oats, buckwheat, 

 grass, the latter of which is occasionally plowed in. He has mulched the trees 

 some with straw when in sowed crops. The upper twigs of the oldest trees are 

 now growing a foot to a foot and a half a year. They stop cultivating after or 

 before the first of August, regardless of any bad appearance of weeds. He has 

 often noticed the bad effect of late clean cultivation, as it stimulates a late 

 growth which does not always ripen Avell in their short seasons. 



Mr. Parraelee prunes once a year, not heavily, and then in winter, except he 



