154 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



THE NORTHERN SPY APPLE. 



For some reason the crop of Baldwin apples hereabouts is this 

 year a light one. The Northern Spy, blossoming several days later, 

 has set well, and a pretty large proportion of the apples marketed 

 have been of this variety. I think the Northern spy bids fair to 

 become a greater favorite than ever in this vicinity, as its require- 

 ments become better known. It is a native of this part of western 

 New York, originating about forty years ago as a seedling in Bloxom- 

 field, Ontario county, just a little southeast of the Monroe county 

 line. Take it altogether, I do not know an apple that does better 

 for those who have strong, rich land, and understand the proper 

 modes of managing the orchard. It is some advantage, I think, to 

 have a variet}^ which originated near here, provided it has as many 

 good qualities as has this. 



When it was first introduced by Rochester nurserymen, about 

 1845-50, there was a great furore to get trees and grafts. The 

 appearance, quality and keeping habits of the apple were so strongly 

 in its favor, that for several years trees or grafts of this sort were a 

 little dearer than others. There were in those days great numbers 

 of natural fruit orchards, and wherever these were regrafted with 

 Spys the old tree became rejuvenated, and very soon bore large crops 

 of extra fine fruit. It was the success of these regrafted natural 

 trees that for some years gave the Northern Spy its greatest 

 popularity. 



Its erect habit and vigorous growth are, I think, responsible alike 

 for the Northern Spy's success under some conditions, and failure 

 in others. The tree, when young, runs too much to wood if either 

 cultivated highly or manured heavily. This retards bearing, and so 

 long as the tree spires upward it will prove a shy bearer. But let 

 it once produce a crop, let its long limbs be weighted down, and the 

 tree is more certain of a crop than most other varieties. It usually 

 produces a light crop one year and a heavy one the next. Its late- 

 ness in leaving and blossoming protects this variety from loss b}' late 

 frosts, though this is an evil rarely encountered in this section of 

 New York so near Lake Ontario. — Americaii Cultivator. 



