FRUIT CULTURE. 427 



tlie raising of apples, for the market is pursued as part of the 

 business of the farm, probably the best course to adopt, is, to 

 devote a portion of it to this purpose and to keep such in high 

 condition, by constant cultivation ; indeed, under no other cir- 

 cumstances, can some varieties of this fruit, as the Williams 

 Favorite, for instance, be produced in perfection. The object 

 of the cultivator, should be to produce the greatest crop of 

 fruit, in its highest state of perfection, and in no other way can 

 this be reasonably expected, but by keeping of the soil in pro- 

 per condition and suitably supplied with nourishment. 



The varieties of apples are so numerous, — there being in 

 almost every district, some one of local origin, the knowl- 

 edge of which may be confined to such district, that every 

 one in making a selection of varieties, must to some extent 

 depend upon his own taste and discrimination ; still there are 

 many varieties of established reputation, that may be recom- 

 mended for general cultivation. Among such of the earlier 

 varieties, may be named the Early Harvest, and the Putnam 

 Harvest, of, I suppose, local name and origin — a great bearer in 

 alternate years, less acid than the Early Harvest, and therefore 

 better suited to the dessert — the Early Sweet Bough, the Red 

 Astracan, and Williams Favorite ; of the autumn varieties, the 

 Fall Harvey, the Porter and the Gravenstein ; and for winter, 

 the Hubbardston Nonesuch, the Hurlburt, the Westfield Seek- 

 no-farther, the Minister, Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin, 

 Hunt's Russet and others ; while, for sweet apples, there is 

 the Seaver's Sweet, the Danvers Winter Sweet, and for late 

 keeping, the Ladies' Sweeting, and an apple from Portsmouth, 

 a Seedling, known there as the Ledge apple. 



The Baldwin is so universal, and has been so long an estab- 

 lished favorite in this county, that its cultivation has, to a con- 

 siderable extent, superseded that of other winter varieties ; 

 bearing only in alternate years, and then usually most abundant- 

 ly, it is becoming at such times, from its abundance, a drug in 

 the market ; on this account farmers will probably find it for 

 their advantage, if in place of, or addition to, Baldwins, they 

 would cultivate some other varieties, for this purpose the Hub- 

 bardston Nonesuch, Hurlburt, Minister, and Hunt's Russet, may 

 be perhaps selected with advantage. 



