148 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



states as consist largely of prairie, are not adapted to fruit growing. The 

 low temperature during winter and the general level condition of the land is 

 not favorable for apple growing. Thousands of dollars bad been spent in the 

 vain attempt to grow apples. The last attempt is being made by trying to 

 grow some of the Russian apples, but they are nearly worthless and are almost 

 a failure. In some of the eastern states the old orchards are on the decline, 

 and in some parts of Michigan the prospect is none too flattering. Even in 

 the states where apple growing is most successfully conducted, comparatively 

 a small part of the laud is really adapted to the successful growing of apples 

 for market. The sandy pine land, the low, wet land, and even the clay soil, 

 where the clay subsoil retains too much water, or when tliere is no natural 

 drainage on large, level flats that will not admit of tile drainage, are all unfit 

 for apple growing. The apple orchard should be planted ou elevations having 

 both water and air drainag.e. A clay loam or gravelly soil is desirable. The 

 northern part of this state is the best at present, due to timber belts. 



W. B. Andruss: I will give some facts concerning my own orchard, in 

 regard to elevation, soil and mode of cultivation. My orchard is situated on 

 elevated ground; although part of the ground is level, yet it is considerably 

 higher than most of the surrounding country. The soil is sandy loam mixed 

 with gravel, and also small and large stones, with not much clay in the sub- 

 soil. I do not prune my tre<^8 so severely as many growers do, but keep 

 them moderately open to the sun and air. I plow the ground once in three 

 or four years shallow. I have a large number of varieties. My orchard has 

 paid me much better than other land in ordinary crops. I have a fair amount 

 of apples every year, but large crops the even year. 



IJ. Dale Adams: Plant the apple orchard on elevated, dry, strong soil, such 

 as will grow good crops of wheat and corn. 



VARIETIES FOR HOME USE. 



A. Chatfield : The selection for home use is a matter of taste. Hardly any 

 two would select exactly the same list of varieties. Some of the best for 

 home use might not be suitable for market apples. There are so many good 

 varieties of apple, almost anyone can find some one suited to his taste. The 

 Northern Spy has some good qualities. I prefer it to Baldwin. I have tea 

 Ehode Island Greening trees, and one Baldwin tree in one row. The single 

 Baldwin tree bears more apples than the ten Greenings. The trees stand on 

 sandy land. Near by, an orchard on clay soil has several Greening trees 

 which are quite productive. 



L. H. Bailey has a large apple orchard growing on strong soil which has 

 been cared for and kept in good, healthy condition. The trees stand 40x40 

 feet each way. This is too close ; should prefer 45 to 50 feet. The apples 

 that pay best with him are Stark, Baldwin and Ben. Davis. They each bear 

 well, keep well and sell well, provided you look after the sales and commis- 

 sion men yourself. He shipped to one firm thirty barrels of apples and to 

 another eight barrels. He received returns of $1.50 per barr'd from both 

 firms. He sent his son to these commission houses, where he found the 

 apples with his name on the barrels. He bought the apples of both the firms, 

 paying ^2 50 per barrel for both lots, and took receipts for money paid, which 

 he handed to his father, L. H. Bailey, who called upon tliese two commis- 



