I20 CROP PRODUCTION 



kept in good condition afterwards. There is little use 

 in setting apple trees in small holes in grasslands and 

 then leaving them to fight for Hfe unaided. On a small 

 scale especially for the home orchards, young trees can 

 be kept thrifty by heavy mulching, being sure to band 

 the trees with wire netting to prevent injury to the bark 

 by the mice that are likely to seek shelter under the mulch. 

 In orchard practice, however, tillage early in the season 

 followed by a cover crop later is the best procedure, 

 except in hill regions. 



Wild Apples 

 In many regions where Apples have been grown for 

 generations wild or native Apple trees have sprung up. 

 As a rule these bear natural fruit of little value, but 

 such trees are readily top-grafted to desirable varieties. 

 If the trees are small they can be made over by insert- 

 ing a very few scions, but if large more are needed. In 

 either case the work is well repaid by the increase of 

 the crop in future years. 



Varieties 



About one thousand varieties of Apples are known 

 in North America. Less than a score of these form the 

 bulk of the commercial product, but many others have 

 great value in special locaHties and for home use. In 

 selecting varieties the experience of fruit growers in 

 one's own neighborhood is the most valuable guide, 

 although it is always interesting to experiment in a small 

 way with sorts untried in the locality. 



Success in commercial Apple culture lies in choosing 

 the right location and varieties, giving good tillage, 

 fertilizing properly, taking care to furnish plenty of 



