ORCHARDS. 119 



laid up to the tree, "which requires another season to recover and 

 collect a sufficient supply again to form fruit buds," (^vhich 

 also happens in the case of most nut bearing trees.) This, 

 Mr. Cole says, is not according to analogy, as many other 

 species of trees and shrubs bear abundantly every year. The 

 same author, on page 87, American Fruit Book, says, " we 

 first offered to the public the important fact that most of our 

 varieties of apples in New England, natural and grafted, 

 produce large crops in even years', 1846, 1848 and 1850, if 

 the season be favorable, and light crops in odd years, 1845, 

 1847 and 1849. Like all new things this view has been 

 opposed and ridiculed, but never met fairly with facts. We 

 observed it for 30 years, and the same orchards in our boy- 

 hood, still continue the same. These important facts cannot 

 be laughed down, nor upset by false reasoning. On the con- 

 trary, correct observers are confirming what we have said." 

 Mr. Cole does not give his opinion as to the cause of this 

 freak in nature, but is satisfied in believing it is as he has 

 stated. In justice to him, however, he also says : " Yet some 

 trees and some orchards, and in some neighborhoods, most of 

 trees bear in odd years." This he seems to consider only as 

 exceptions to the general rule. According to our experi- 

 ence we know of no such habit attending our orchards, and do 

 not think they stop to play the game of odd and even, but 

 bear their crops according to seasons and circumstances. A 

 late vernal frost sometimes has something to do with the 

 bearing year ; and full orchards are occasionally bereft of 

 their fruit buds by a severe Winter in the bearing year, and 

 forced to rest and renovate their fruiting powers until the 

 next season, which in that case will be the bearing year, 

 whether it be odd or even. Other reasons might be assio-ned 

 for the alternation of the bearing year. We like trees that 

 will bear every year, and if we can control them by aid and 

 art, or in any way induce them to do so, so much the better. 

 But at the same time we should esteem and cherish so much 

 the more highly those few varieties that do so without coaxing. 

 As to the ''^ even year ' forbearing, our Southern and West- 

 ern latitudes do not favor any partiality for odd or even 



