162 THE APPLE CULTURIST. 



Hon. M. P. Wilder, President of the American Pomolog- 

 ical Society, says that 



" One of the most important lessons which experience has taught us, is the neces- 

 sity of thinning our crops of fruit ; and no operation, in the whole round of fruit 

 culture, has been so much neglected. It is riot strange that the young cultivator, 

 delighted with a fine show of large pears on a young tree, or an abundant crop of 

 grapes on a young vine, should, in the pride of his heart and not knowing the 

 impossibility of the tree or vine bringing them all to maturity without a tax on 

 its vital powers, of which the effect may be felt for years permit them to remain. 

 It is true that the labor is great, but so is the profit ; and oftentimes it happens 

 that the labor of thinning a crop makes all the difference between absolute un- 

 salableness and a high price in the market. Not unfrequently a pear-tree will set 

 so much fruit that it can not bring any part of the crop to a size which will render 

 it salable in a crowded market, when, if one-half, or even a larger part, of the 

 fruit had been removed, the remaining specimens would have sold quickly at the 

 top prices of the market. One of our farmers, near Boston, always thins his 

 fruit ; another, adjoining his orchard, neglects it. The location and treatment of 

 these two orchards, in other respects, are much the same ; but the former realizes 

 for his crop of Baldwin apples about four dollars and a half per barrel, while the 

 latter, standing by his side in the market, receives less than three dollars and a 

 half for his. The case is still stronger with the pear, which, growing on smaller 

 trees, is more easily thinned ; and the prices obtained for the fruit afford a better 

 remuneration for the labor of thinning. While those properly thinned and cared 

 for will command four dollars per bushel, those of the common run will not bring 

 more than two dollars ; and this rule applies not only to fruits, but to all vegeta- 

 ble productions. Every one has observed that the overbearing of a fruit-tree one 

 year is likely to result in barrenness the next. Hence the necessity of thinning 

 our fruits, so as to avoid exhaustion of the tree, and to keep up a regular succes- 

 sion of good fruit. Even the Baldwin apple, which, from its great productive- 

 ness, bears only on alternate years, we think, might, by thinning, be made to bear 

 annual crops. Not merely the form, but the color, is improved by thinning ; for 

 without sunlight fruit can never attain perfect color. When apples are crowded 

 in clusters, they are particularly liable to be attacked by disease ; and therefore 

 the neceseity, if we wish perfect specimens, for removing a part, so that no two 

 fruits shall touch each other. This necessity is especially strong in the case of 

 the peach and plum, and early apples, where rot is liable to be communicated by 

 contact. These should be so severely thinned, when young, as to make it certain 

 that they will not touch each other when fully grown. " 



Making Letters on Growing Apples. It is a curious fact, 

 which many pomologists will doubtless be glad to know, 

 that a person may produce his name in beautiful letters in 

 the skin of an apple, thus : Cut paper letters out of .a news- 

 paper, say one-fourth of an inch square, spread a coat of 

 mucilage on one side of each letter, and stick the letters on 

 the surface of an apple that is growing in the sunlight. The 

 letters should be put on before the apples have turned red. 

 In ten to twenty days the apple will be red, except beneath 



