192 Account of a Crab Apple Orchard. 



Query 6. The nature of the trees as to hardihood ? 



Answer. We have reason to believe it may be rank- 

 ed among the most hardy of apple trees, it also pos- 

 sesseth a greater degree of toughness and elasticity, 

 than what commonly exists in the wood of any other 

 Species of that fruit, that I know of, for the branches 

 will bend, loaded with fruit, until they hang almost 

 perpendicular, and yet rarely break. 



Query 7. What soil they most delight in ? 



Answer. This I do not know, for they appear to 

 thrive equally well, wherever planted, and weU attend- 

 ed to. 



Query 8. How long are they coming to maturity ? 



Answer. This depends so much on the care and 

 culture of the ground, as to render the time of coming 

 to maturity very uncertain, but I believe that of the 

 crab to be as early as that of any other apple trees, 

 under like culture. 



Query 9. Whether or not they are long lived ? 



Answer. The length of time, during which we have^ 

 cultivated this species of fruit, is insufficient to enable 

 me to answer this question correctly. 



Query 10. The general annual value of the crop ? 



Answer. The crab is a biennial bearer, so that for 

 some time past, every other year has yielded us about 

 forty iron bound hogsheads, averaging 112 gallons 

 each, of the crab cider, which has been hitherto sold 

 from the press, and delivered in Philadelphia, at two 

 shillings and six pence per gallon : when fermented, 

 fined, and fully prepared for bottling, we have sold it 

 for the use of private families, at thirteen dollars per 

 barrel, exclusive of the cask. 



