Dwarf Apples. 187 



CHANGES WROUGHT BY CLIMATE AND SOIL. 



This subject has been treated, as applied to fruits generally, in a 

 former part of this work ; a few brief remarks on the variations in 

 the apple may be interesting. 



The winter apples of the northern states, when cultivated further 

 south, are changed to autumn apples ; and as far south as Georgia, 

 some of our good keepers ripen nearly by the end of summer. The 

 Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening, at Cincinnati and at St. Louis, 

 cease to be winter fruits. There are few or none of the northern 

 apples which succeed well as keepers as far south as Carolina. 

 This is owing to the long southern summers. It has been found 

 that varieties originated in the southern states are generally best 

 adapted to the climate of that region. 



Some varieties are greatly influenced by a change of climate, and 

 others but slightly. The Ribston Pippin, so excellent at Montreal, 

 is of little value a few degrees further south. The Rhode Island 

 Greening and the Roxbury Russet, on suitable soils, throughout 

 New York and New England, present the same characteristics of 

 flavor and appearance ; the Baldwin, so fine at the east, greatly 

 deteriorates in northern Ohio ; and the Belmont, which has been pro- 

 nounced the most valuable of all apples at Cleveland, is unworthy 

 of cultivation at Cincinnati. These changes, in the latter instances, 

 may perhaps be ascribed to a difference in soil ; and the application 

 of special manures, as lime, potash, etc., on those unfavorable soils, 

 has improved the quality. The periods of ripening, given in the 

 following pages, are intended to apply to the northern states. A 

 difference of about two or three weeks exists between fruits culti- 

 vated at Boston or Rochester, and in central Ohio and southern 

 Pennsylvania, and other differences of latitude nearly in the same 

 ratio. 



DWARF APPLES. 



For summer and autumn sorts, dwarf apples are valuable in afford- 

 ing a supply to families. They begin to bear in two or three years 

 from setting out, and at five or six years, if well cultivated, will 

 afford a bushel or so to each tree. A portion of a garden as large 

 as the tenth of an acre, may be planted with forty or fifty trees, 

 without crowding. All the different varieties of the apple may be 

 made Dwarfs by working on the Paradise or Doucain- stock the 

 former are smaller and bear soonest ; the latter are larger and ulti- 



