THE FARM, AND OUR FOOD SUPPLIES 149 



9. About what time of year do apple trees blossom? 

 What course is followed in large orchards to prevent loss of 

 the season's crop by a late freeze in the spring? About 

 when are the earliest varieties of apples on the market for 

 eating? How is it that these kinds ripen so much earlier 

 than some other kinds ? 



10. Does every blossom of the springtime yield an apple 

 in autumn ? If this were so, what would be the results (a) in 

 the size and quality of the apples; (b) for the tree itself? 

 What course is pursued by some growers to get exceptionally 

 fine fruit ? Why is this not done by all apple raisers ? 



11. What special care must be exercised in harvesting 

 apples? Why are boxes preferred to barrels for the larger, 

 finer fruit? Why does wrapping each apple separately in 

 paper aid materially in its keeping qualities? Explain the 

 nature of rot in apples. What is nature's protection of the 

 apple from decay? Why do apples graded as to size and 

 appearance sell more readily in market ? What is true of the 

 relative selling prices of these apples and of others marketed 

 by the barrel ? When apples are to be kept for any length 

 of time, what should be true in the storage rooms (a) of the 

 temperature ; (6) of the moisture in the air ? What uses are 

 made of the apples that are undersized, misshapen, and worm- 

 eaten? What other uses may be made of the "windfalls" ? 



12. Describe the spraying of trees in an apple orchard, 

 stating the material used and the manner of its application. 

 At what times in the year is this spraying done? In some 

 way give a definite idea of the cost of doing this, including 

 the labor. 



