THE APPLE CROP. 



UNITED STATES. 



Messrs. Duncati Bros., New York 

 City, report concerning the. U. S. apple 

 crop as follows : 



Ontario and Nova Scotia. — A full aver- 

 age crop, the quality been the best known 

 for several years. 



New England States. — A light crop. 



" Western New York and Hudson Rivcr 

 Valley. — More apples than last year, of 

 good quality and consisting largely of Green 

 ings. ..,___■ 



g Michigan.— More than last year and of 

 much better quality. 



y Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Kan- 

 sas. — From one-quarter to one-third of an 

 average crop. Quality in some sections good, 

 and in others only fair. 



Virginia. — A half crop of fair quality. 



California. — A larger crop than last year 

 and of better quality. 



These conditions indicate the necessity of 

 great caution in buying this crop. Buyers 

 should use great care in buying and packing 

 and grading, exporting only fine clean fruit, 

 carefully packed and at moderate first cost. 

 The purchase of inferior and carelessly 

 packed fruit, will almost surely be followed 

 by unsatisfactory results. 



The following estimate is given by Mr. 

 Arthur P. JFowler, August ^th. 



New York State — The Rural New 

 Yorker says : 



The apple crop of western New York 

 largely determines the price for that fruit in 

 the eastern markets. The condition of the 

 Baldwins decides the matter, for that variety 

 is in an immense majority. Baldwin has had 

 a hard season this year, and reports are all 

 one way. Taken as a whole, the apple crop 

 from this great section promises to be less 

 than half, and the chief loss is in red apples. 

 Greenings are in better condition, but few 

 people appreciate them. Nature packed 

 some of her riche<t sauce inside the skin of a 

 Greening apple, but there is a craze for a red 

 skin, and this fine fruit is often neglected. 

 Early apples are promising, but buyers are 

 likely to part with considerable money when 

 they buy their late Fall and Winter fruit. 

 Ben Davis may come to the front as usual, 

 but reports indicate that even this hardy 

 citizen feels the rheumatism in his twigs and 

 branches, as the result of last winter's free^^ 



Propagation of the Gooseberry. — 

 Seeds for the raising of new varieties, 

 says Professor Bailey, should be sown 

 as soon as well cured in loamy or sandy 

 soil ; or they may be stratified and sown 

 together with the sand in the spring. 

 Cuttings six to eight inches long, of the 

 mature wood, inserted two-thirds their 

 length, usually grow readily, especially 

 if taken in August or September and 

 stored during winter in the same way as 

 currant cuttings. Single-eye cuttings 

 may be used for rare kinds. Stronger 

 plants are usually obtained by layers, 

 and the English varieties are nearly 



always layered in this country. Mound- 

 layering is usually employed, the Eng- 

 lish varieties being allowed to remain in 

 layerage two years, but the American 

 varieties only one. Layered plants are 

 usually set in nursery rows for a year 

 after removal from the stools. Green- 

 layering during summer is usually prac- 

 ticed for new or rare varieties. Strong 

 plants may also be produced by tip- 

 layering, as in the black raspberry. If 

 it is desired to train the weaker goose- 

 berries in tree form, they jnay be grafted 

 upon the stronger growing varieties. 



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