64: THE APPLE. 



from continued planting ; for, we have not only the wants of in- 

 creased population of our own land to supply, but that of foreign 

 countries. Already our fruits are sent to England and other distant 

 shores, and eagerly sought for and purchased at what would here 

 be termed high prices. Although the Newtown pippin as sent from 

 the Pell orchard on the Hudson River, has done much toward 

 establishing our reputation abroad, we anticipate an advance in good- 

 favor, when the same variety grown on our Southern Ohio, Kentucky, 

 Indiana and Illinois soils, shall be shown ; for certainly they are, like 

 all our Western growths, when compared with those of the East, 

 far superior in size. 



The duration of the apple when worked and grown on a healthy 

 seedling stock, was regarded by Mr. Knight, of celebrity in horticul- 

 ture, at 200 years ; yet trees are recorded as being over 1000 years 

 old, and in annual healthy fruiting condition. So also Mr. Knight 

 regarded " many varieties" as in his time " already on the decline," 

 which Coxe, in his "View of Fruit Trees" published in 1817, says 

 " grow and appear more healthy than any variety in the orchard." 

 Trees of over 200 years are known, in this country, to be healthy 

 and yearly producing their abundance of fine fair fruit. 



The puberty or fruit bearing age of the apple tree varies accord 

 ing to variety, climate, and cultivation. In the rich deep soils, and 

 under the clear sun of our western states, most varieties come into 

 bearing at about eight years from the bud ; or about four or five 

 years from planting out. We speak here only of the cultivated 

 varieties. Wild seedlings would probably require from twelve to 

 fifteen years. 



Propagation — By seeds. These should be selected if intended for 

 stocks to work varieties upon, from native seedling trees of strong, 

 vigorous, healthy growth. The common practice is to visit a cider 

 mill in the months of October or November and take therefrom in- 

 discriminately such as first come to hand ; but he who desires to grow 

 fine healthy trees had much better purchase the apples from such 

 trees as we describe, and, if he choose, take them to the press himself. 

 The seed should be entirely separated from the pumice or pulp, al- 

 though much of it will grow if spread immediately on the land thinly 

 and plowed in lightly ; but this is a coarse unworkmanlike method. 

 To free it from the pulp, take a coarse sieve, and after it has lain upon 

 boards for forty-eight hours, proceed to sift it ; tlie next process, is 

 washing in tubs, when most of the pulp which passed through the 

 sieve will rise to the top of the water and may be taken off. If the 

 ground is ready it may now be sown, the ground being made rich 

 in vegetable, or partially mixed with ivell rotted animal manure, 

 trenched or plowed twenty inches deep ; sow the seed in drills of 

 about one foot wide and two feet between each drill ; scatter the 



