THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



907 



by good culture and right pruning, trees will set more 

 apples than they can properly mature. 



Trees do not produce fruit for the benefit of mankind 

 but rather for their own perpetuation, and if there were 

 not a human being on earth, trees would produce fruit 

 just the same. For the purposes of perpetuation na- 

 ture is always prodigal, and trees will overload with 

 fruit that there may be the greatest possible produc- 

 tion of seeds with w-hich to perpetuate the species. 

 Therefore when nature is aided by artificial means 

 through systematic propagation and culture, the pro- 

 ductive forces of the trees must be conserved by regu- 

 lar thinning of the fruit. 



This should be done first when the apples are one 

 inch in diameter. All apples should be removed that 

 are closer than three inches to each other. Frequentl\' 

 there will be two, three and four apples in a cluster on 

 one fruit spur — all but one should be taken oiif. Some 

 skill is required in this operation and great damage 

 may be done through ignorance, for in breaking off a 

 fruit spur as is frequently done, no fruit will ever again 

 be produced in that place. 



In thinning, the stem of the apple should be taken 

 between the thumb and first finger and firmly clasped, 

 when the 3-oung apple is grasped by the second and 

 third fingers and by a quick drawing movement is 

 pulled or snapped ofif the stem. This will save the fruit 

 spurs from being broken through trying to pull oflf the 

 apples by main force. 



A second thinning should be made in about two 

 weeks. At this time every imperfect specimen should 

 be taken oft', and a space of six inches left between all 

 large varieties that grow to two and one-half inches or 

 more in diameter, and four to five inches should be left 

 between medium-sized varieties that reach two and 

 one-quarter inches in diameter. 



This method will give very much more of the high 

 grade fruit that is most in demand, but most difficult 

 to obtain. It will save the productive energj' of the 

 tree, and in time will result with many varieties in an 

 annual production of apples. \\'hen a tree is allowed 

 to carry an overload of fruit it cannot perfect the fruit 

 buds the same year that it is maturing a large quantity 

 of fruit. The sole purpose of the tree is to produce 

 seeds. Its beautiful and fragrant blossoms are not put 

 forth for human admiration and enjoyment btit rather 

 to attract insects, especially bees, which in going from 

 flower to flower carry and distribute pollen to the blos- 

 soms to give vigor through cross-fertilization ; that 

 there may be greater certainty in the perfection and 

 development of seeds. 



The process of seed-making is exhaustive of the food 

 elements of the soil, and especially of the phosphoric 

 acid which is highly essential in the formation of seeds. 

 If from fifty to sixty per cent, of the apples are taken 

 ofif, in a full setting of the fruit, a very large saving is 

 made in jjlant food and in the energy and A-itality of 

 the tree. 



When the advantages and \aluc of thinning are un- 

 derstood, the cost of the operation is not only justified 

 but becomes imperative. 



.•\nd above all, with a clear understanding — "That 

 he who plants a tree plants for time" — that with pa- 

 tience, persistent effort in overcoming difficulties, with 

 study, good care, and sound judgment, such as must 

 be brought to any successful line of business — the fu- 

 ture will bring to those who go seriously into the cul- 

 ture of apples a large measure of satisfaction, enjo_y- 

 mcnt and value received. 



QUERIES and ANSWERS 



catni i 



II'V bcl:czc the greatest good can be a 

 number, by instituting a query column 

 riences, on practical propositions, by om 



You are invited to contribute question 



Each question as received will be giv 

 er's name will not be published, but the source of the answer will 

 be given unless otherwise requested. 



IVe all have something we would like to know more about. Here 

 is your opportunity to ascertain somebody's experience in just that 

 matter. 



Nothing will tend to better fellowship the 



Take advantage of this "Question Box." 



ed for the greatest 

 or an e.vchangc of expe- 

 readers. 

 , and answer others. 



number, the question' 



helping each othe 



Thinking a little practical experience might answer G. M.'s 

 query in February issue, I would say that I myself fell into a 

 "sma' wee" place with the orders that "more flowers were wanted, 

 and more flowers, and yet more flowers." This is how I arranged 

 things. One pothouse, GO x 11 feet, is divided into two by a 

 partition. The furthest and coolest end is devoted to carnations, 

 300 plants, and some parsley in flats. The near and warm end 

 is used in winter for propagating and growing an alternanthera 

 (until the hot beds are ready) and other budding stuff, for forc- 

 ing Lily of the Valley, also for early onions, leek, tomatoes, arti- 

 clioke and sundries. The next house, a three-quarter span, 60 x 

 20 feet, is run 40 degs. nights, and is arranged thus: Front with 

 bench 3 feet 6 inches wide, walk 2 feet 6 inches, bench 4 feet 6 

 inches wide, walk 2 feet 6 inches, back border 3 feet wide, with 

 shelf over. In back bench are Passifloras, Marchel Neil and La 

 Marque roses, trained on wires. This latter is a cluster rose 

 with the sweetest perfume, rather tender for shipping, but fine 

 for home use, stands the temperature well, being a sheet of blos- 

 soms last spring. The front bench now contains Cyclamen Wall- 

 flower Forget-me-nots in bloom, also stocks, all in pots. Along 

 the cool end there is a tank for rain w-ater. Over this are boxes, 

 a foot deep, in four sections, containing one of each of the fol- 

 lowing: Pansies, Mignonette, Stock and Penstemon (not 

 recommended). The middle bench, under which cannas are stored, 

 has at each end small solid beds. The warm end one contains 

 Smilax, which is allowed to flower, when it is very fragrant. 

 The other end. Sweet Peas. We have been cutting from these 

 since the middle of December. The raised bench holds Geraniums 

 and twenty-nine long boxes, 2 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 6 inches: 

 lialf are filled with Sweet Peas sown October 22. First were cut 

 February 12. These will follow those in the solid bed which are 

 beginning to run out. The winter specials, which were bought 

 from Arthur Boddington of New York, are grand, and llower just 

 as early as the other winter varieties. The other half of the 

 boxes contain winter flowering Amtlienimums, w'hich were sown 

 June 24 (but might be sown earlier), are now throwing up their 

 spike.s. Both the Sweet Peas and Snapdragons were grown out- 

 side during the hot weather, and when frost approaches are put 

 anywhere until the Chrysantliemiims. which occupy the house 

 summer and winter, are moved into the nectarine house. The 

 house will lie a pretty sight by the end of March. By the time 

 the singls Minns are ready for their flowering pots we will have 

 the wide bench removed, and the pots will have a cool ash bot- 

 tom to stand on. When they shoAv color they are moved into the 

 nectarine house, as mentioned above. The shelf holds the flowery 

 bulbs Narcissus, Freesias, etc. Then we have in this house let- 

 tuce in flats waiting for the hot beds, early cabbage and cauli- 

 flower, young Carnation stock. Chrysanthemums just out of the 

 sand (they are propagated in this house). Wallflower in pots for 

 early work outside. We are now sowing our flowering annuals, 

 and as fast as the stuff can be gotten into hotbeds their place 

 will be occupied bv flats into which the annuals will be pricked 

 ofl'. 



The nectarine house, 50 x 15 feet, already referred to, was for- 

 merly a vinery, and is a good place to keep stock Chrysanthe- 

 mums until the cuttings are taken off; also any other stuff that 

 wants to be kept back. Wallflower will do well here for later 

 flowering, and when the house is .started we put our Cannas in. 

 They are placed on the ground, and do not interfere with the 

 care of tree as a bench woidd. This house is kept a little above 

 freezing point imtil the 15th of Januar.v. It is started early so 

 as to get the fruit ripe b,v the end of June, running along to the 

 end of July. 



There is a conservatory besides, but its chief use is for storing 

 tub plants. There are roses, passifloras, etc., on roof. The La 

 IVrle gave us last November 1.000 blooms during that month. 

 But the tangle on the roof is the plague of my life. The blooms 

 are hard to find, hard to get hold of and impossible to keep clean. 

 But every rose has its thorn. Ja.me.s MAcF.\ut..\NE. 



New York. 



