THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 231 



generally does well on the hills and well-drained slopes in the more 

 elevated regions from Chautauqua lake eastward to the Catskills, 

 along the Champlain valley and in the uplands east of the Hudson 

 as far south as the Fishkill mountains. In some portions of the 

 regions just named it has become the leading variety in commercial 

 orchards, but its cultivation is by no means confined to these regions, 

 for it is grown quite extensively in many other localities and is gen- 

 erally well known throughout the state. Experienced fruit growers 

 frequently express a preference for warm, fertile soil, either gravelly 

 loam or clay loam, with well-drained subsoil, upon which to plant 

 Northern Spy, although in some few districts there is a decided 

 preference for rather heavy clay loam. In the territory best adapted 

 to its cultivation it is grown satisfactorily upon different slopes and 

 different soils. When grown in sod the trees may be less productive, 

 but the fruit doubtless colors better and keeps better than when the 

 orchard is given frequent and thorough tillage during the growing 

 season. 



The tree is very hardy and healthy, develops a strong root system 

 both in the nursery and in the orchard, and has an upright, free- 

 growing habit. For these reasons it is much in favor as a stock 

 upon which to top-work varieties that are less vigorous, less hardy 

 or less healthy. The top tends to become dense and must be pruned 

 regularly and thoroughly to keep it sufficiently open to admit light 

 and air to the foliage in all parts of the tree ; otherwise, especially 

 on the older trees, much of the fruit is apt to be poorly matured 

 and poorly colored. Pruning for this purpose should be done by 

 removing the laterals and limbs that cross, being careful to leave 

 the smaller twigs and spurs, as these are the ones upon which the 

 most of the fruit is borne. 



The head of the young orchard tree should be formed with great 

 care. In the words of one of our correspondents, 1 the wood of this 

 variety is very straight-grained and the tree is liable to split when 

 heavily loaded. To guard against this, when the head of the small 

 tree is formed no two limbs should be left opposite or nearly opposite 

 each other, but the three or four branches which are selected for 



*E. W. Lament, Cobleskill. N. Y. 



