320 



APPLE 



APPLE 



often used in sod orchards to supply additional mulch 

 as well as the elements of plant-food. Many growers are 

 coming to realize that the apple tree does not require 

 heavy applications of fertilizers. More important than 

 fertilizers is moisture supply, and this is maintained by 

 increasing the humus and by cultivation. Very few 

 growers are applying much nitrogen, depending upon 

 leguminous cover-crops to keep up the supply. As a 

 source of phosphoric acid, raw ground bone is the most 

 common material. In recent years, very large quan- 

 tities of basic slag have been used, 600 to 800 pounds 

 per acre usually being applied. Potash is usually ap- 

 plied in the muriate form, but some growers prefer to 

 use the sulfate of potash. Recently, growers have 

 realized the necessity for applying lime, and this is 

 being used largely in the form of ground limestone. 



There is a growing feeling that in the past young 

 trees have been pruned too severely. Progressive 

 growers think that the young apple tree should not be 

 pruned very severely during the dormant season. With 

 this is associated the idea that when much pruning is 

 necessary, some of it, at least, should be performed in 

 the growing season. This practice tends to bring the 



269. Harvest time in the apple orchard. 



trees into bearing earlier and to make better-shaped 

 trees. Summer pruning, when employed, is usually 

 performed about July 1 or just before growth ceases. 

 Mature trees tend to overbear, and pruning them in 

 the dormant season is the rule. 



A striking feature in the work of renovating old 

 orchards is the severity with which many of the trees 

 are pruned. High-headed trees, especially those that 

 are very weak, are cut back to mere stubs on which the 

 growth of water-sprouts is encouraged. From these 

 sprouts new heads are formed. Trees treated in this 

 way often produce fair crops of fruit, when properly 

 trained, the fourth or fifth year following the treat- 

 ment. Other trees that are in better shape to start 

 with, are dealt with less severely, only the higher 

 branches being removed and the remaining ones short- 

 ened in. 



Spraying practices are about the same throughout 

 the various regions of the Northeast. The concentrated 

 lime-sulfur wash, either prepared or home-made, has 

 become the standard remedy for scale. In some sec- 

 tions and especially for use on old apple trees, the mis- 

 cible oils are preferred. For the various fungous trou- 

 bles, of which scab, black-rot, rust and sooty-blotch 

 are the most conspicuous, a weak lime-sulfur prepara- 

 tion is generally employed. Applications are usually 

 made just before the blossoms open, again after the 

 petals fall, and one or two later applications at intervals 

 of three or four weeks. Arsenate of lead is usually 

 added for the control of insects. In New England, 

 the lime-sulfur as a summer spray has not given satis- 

 faction, and the tendency is to use regular bordeaux 



mixture for the first application and a very weak 

 bordeaux for the subsequent treatments. With most 

 varieties, and under ordinary conditions, the one appli- 

 cation is sufficient to control the various diseases. One 

 or two applications of arsenate of lead, either with or 

 without bordeaux, is usually applied after the blossoms 

 have fallen. 



The practice of thinning apples is becoming somewhat 

 general among the commercial growers of New England 

 and in most sections of New York and Pennsylvania. 

 The work is usually performed about July 1, er just after 

 the so-called "June drop." In some sections in western 

 New York, where the evaporating trade takes the 

 greater part of the crop, the practice is almost unknown. 



Marketing. 



The apple crop in general farming districts is mostly 

 disposed of within the limits of the territory and usually 

 in the local market. The more extensive growers, how- 

 ever, ship large quantities to the eastern cities, and 

 varying quantities, depending upon the supply, are 

 exported. Progress in grading and packing has been 

 slow, chiefly because of lack of necessity. There is 

 great demand in the manufacturing centers for a 

 medium grade of fruit and in such places it has 

 not paid to increase the price of apples by fancy 

 grading and packing. Some growers, even at the 

 present time, say that they make as much from their 

 lower grades as from their higher grades. This ap- 

 plies especially to sections where peddlers come to 

 the orchard, take the fruit away and bring the 

 barrels back. The enormous number of varieties 

 has also affected progress in the way of improved 

 methods. Methods of packing and selling are very 

 diverse. The barrel still remains the most popular 

 package, although the box is being largely used. In 

 the vicinity of the large cities and towns, special 

 packages are used for the retail trade. Around 

 Boston, a slatted bushel box is in common use. In 

 Connecticut, the common Jersey peach basket is 

 largely used, with a growing tendency toward the 

 climax basket. Near Philadelphia, the familiar 

 hamper is still in use. The box package as used in 

 the West has been adopted by many growers in New 

 York and in northern New England. In Connecticut, 

 there is a movement to adopt a distinctive package, 

 like the climax basket, for the fancy retail trade and 

 to continue to use the barrel for the general crop. 



C. D. JARVIS. 

 The apple in Canada. 



Apples have been cultivated in Canada for about 300 

 years. In the early part of the seventeenth century, 

 the French settlers brought with them seeds and trees 

 to the banks of the St. Lawrence River, along which 

 the first settlements were made. In that part of Canada 

 which in the French regime was known as Acadia, now 

 the province of Nova Scotia, apple trees were planted 

 early in the seventeenth century also. Trees were top- 

 grafted in Nova Scotia as early as 1764, and some of 

 these old trees are still alive. On account of poor 

 transportation facilities in Canada until comparatively 

 recent years, the development of apple-growing was 

 slow for a long time and it has been only during the 

 past fifty or sixty years that a rapid growth in the 

 industry has taken place. Now, however, the pro- 

 duction of apples is large and is increasing very fast. 

 In 1911 the number of bushels of apples grown in Can- 

 ada was estimated at 10,384,985. 



Regions. 



The area in Canada over which apples can be grown 

 is very large. In the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, 

 there is a belt of about 700 miles in length, where 

 apple trees can be successfully grown, while in the prov- 

 ince of Ontario alone the best winter apples can be 



