WINTER MEETING. 163 



The Family Orchard. 



I think, Mr. President, our worthy Secretary could have found 

 «ome one better qualified by larger experience to write an article on 

 '"The Family Orchard" than myself. With my limited experience as a 

 horticulturist, I feel myself almost incapable of writing an article on 

 any subject pertaining to horticulture that will be either interesting or 

 instructive to any member of this Society. The greatest inducement 

 for me to inflict any article upon this meeting is that I indulge the hope 

 that by giving a short sketch of several years of practical experience I 

 may be able to aid some fellow fruit- grower — a sort of guide-board for 

 those who are to follow us in the line of horticulture. Certainly the 

 •"Family Orchard" ought to personally interest everyone who has a 

 farm, of any dimensions, or even a vacant town lot large enough to put 

 out a few trees or plants upon. 



I am noted chietly for my generosity, especially to the appetites of 

 myself and family. And for that reason I have tried to grow— and 

 have been fairly successful — almost every kind of fruit that is adapted 

 to this locality. And we manage to have some kind of fresh fruit to 

 use almost every day in the year. 



APPLES. 



In planting out my family orchard of apples I endeavored to select 

 such varieties that would furnish a succession of ripe fruit from the 

 earliest to the latest. I have found Yellow Transparent to be one of 

 the best very early summer apples, and especially adapted to small lots 

 on account of its close growing habits. It bears while very young and 

 ripens its fruit earlier than Early Harvest. I have one tree of Trans- 

 parent, planted six year ago, from which I have picked perfectly ma- 

 tured fruit for three years, with an increased quanity each year. The 

 size of the apple is larger than the Early Harvest. As an eating apple 

 I do not think it as good as the Harvest; but it is an extra good cook- 

 ing apple. The Early Harvest is so widely known and well established 

 that comment on it is unnecessary. A few trees of both Transparent 

 and Harvest should be planted in the family orchard. 



These maybe succeeded by "Duchess of Oldenbury" and "Saps 

 of Wine," or "Summer Golden Sweet," the two latter for eating, while 

 for a good cooking apple the "Duchess" is not surpassed. All three 

 varieties are reliable in this locality — Buchanan county. Mo, The trees 

 are thrifty, vigorous growers and bear early and often. Many other 



