PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING. 159 



CAN THE APPLE BE MADE AS PROFITABLE AS OTHER FRUITS? 

 BY ME. R. H. SHERWOOD OF WATERYLIET. 



Since the earliest history of man the apple has been a tempting fruit; 

 consequently, the first tree was about the first creation, evidently being 

 in the mind of the Creator among the highest and most useful to men. 

 It has continued to be the symbol of prosperity and best guarantee of 

 fertile soil, salubrious climate, and prosperous community. We admire 

 and delight in the taste of the orange, fig, peach, pear, etc., but no other 

 fruit is so universally liked and generally used as the apple. Why is it? 

 we ask. Because we can obtain any flavor, nearly, that our fickle tastes 

 may desire. We have the sweet, sour, and in fact any degree of flavor 

 desired by obtaining the variety. We read that apples are our most 

 healthful fruit. Doctors prescribe them, and w^e learn that chronic cases 

 of kidney and stomach troubles have been entirely cured by using only 

 apples^. Those articles should be published for public benefit in every 

 paper and on every bill-board and rock from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 

 and from Hudson's bay to the gulf. Instead of reading numerous and 

 effusive medical advertisements, when viewing the landscape o'er, either 

 from train or wagon, ride or mountain view, we should read, "Apples — 

 apples for complexion of ladies — ^red cheeks for the pale, yellow for the 

 florid, russets for those desiring tan or freckles "; and " All ills that man 

 is heir to can be agreeably and speedily cured by buying your winter 

 apples of Tom Jones " — town of Michigan, New York, or Missouri. 



Turning our attention to the mode and care given the raising of this 

 jjrofitable product, w'e know by observation that the apple orchard, gen- 

 erally speaking, is used as the hog lot and calf jjasture, and all care given 

 it is bestowed by one or the other of these kinds of farm animals; and 

 upon questioning the owner as to why he did not trim up and spray his 

 orchard to help the quality of fruit, his usual reply is that " it never bore 

 any amount; 'bout enough for his owai use and a barrel of cider; didn't 

 have time to fuss with it, had to plow for oats" and "this spraying is all 

 nonsense, just encouraged by book farmers and such "; he'd like to see the 

 commissioners compel him to spray or cut any of his trees down for yel- 

 lows; he would take a shotgun to them. So he pats himself on the back 

 as being a man of wonderful judgment and business ability. In reality, 

 however, he show-s less sense than the Arkansan who never shingled his 

 house, for one gave an excuse and the other has none. 



There is no part of the farm that is usually so neglected as the apple 

 orchard, even by our best farmers; and sometimes the most successful 

 farmer in other branches loses, by his orchard being neglected, what it 

 takes many times the same acreage to return to him. I have observed 

 during the past few years, however, that, owang to the general depression 

 of farm products, thinking men are becoming convinced that no labor on 

 the farm is so well repaid as good care of our orchards. Trimming, spray- 

 ing, cultivating, and proper care in packing fruit has resulted well to 



