188 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



varieties. The crop of winter varieties can be handled more profit- 

 ably, as it is not so perishable. 



The stock of early winter sorts may be held in safe storage for 

 a while if a paying market can not be found at once, but generally 

 it is best to sell before freezing weather comes on, or as soon as 

 packed, and while the apples are in prime condition. There is no 

 certainty of any gain in holding for any length of time for an ad- 

 vanced market price on any of the winter class of apples unless the 

 grower has in his own right good facilities for storage ; and even then 

 the stock will require reasserting to fit it for market, when often a 

 loss in stock greater than the gain in advanced price will occur 

 through rot or shrinkage. There is, however, and especially when 

 markets are glutted, a chance to gain in market prices by nolding 

 the stock of the late-keeping varieties for a while until the glut is 

 relieved; but whenever a paying market is available, even at small 

 margins of profit, it is the best business economy for the producer 

 to dispose of his crop at once and thus avoid the risk of losses owing 

 to decay and shrinkage which are liable to occur by holding; also 

 the probable additional expense of reassorting. There may be 

 seasons, of course, when a known shortage in the general crop will 

 justify holding for advanced prices, but such a condition is excep- 

 tional, not general. (F. B. 113.) 



SUMMER APPLES. 



Growing the Fruit. In general, it may be said that the orchard 

 management requisite for the production of this class of fruit does 

 not differ materially from the usual methods employed in growing 

 winter apples. The same pruning, cultivating, fertilizing, spraying, 

 etc., are required in the one case as in the other. The later sprayings 

 commonly recommended for late varieties are not so necessary for the 

 earlier sorts for obvious reasons, though the early applications should 

 be made with the same thoroughness that is required for winter 

 sorts. It is a question worthy of consideration, however, whether 

 later applications made after the fruit has been harvested would not 

 be worth while, at least in the case of varieties especially susceptible 

 to fungous diseases, in order to protect the foliage during the long 

 period between harvesting and the end of the season. The vigor 

 and healthfulness of the trees might thus be insured and the crop 

 the following season perhaps improved thereby. 



Handling the Fruit. The methods employed in handling early 

 apples are much more closely allied to those used in marketing 

 peaches than to the usual manner of caring for winter varieties. 

 This results naturally from the character of the fruit. As a rule 

 the fruit is intended for immediate consumption and is not usually 

 marketed until fully ripe, or, at least, in suitable condition to use 

 without delay. As its period of duration is short when edible matur- 

 ity is reached, it must of necessity be used within a comparatively 

 few days after it is put on the market. Some varieties, however, in- 

 tended only for cooking, are shipped as soon as they are large enough 

 for this purpose, without much regard to the degree of maturity 

 which they may have reached. Although such varieties may be held 



