CULTURE OF APPLES AT THE WEST. 



the tree being diseased, lingers along two or three 

 j-ears and dies. 



We were able in Central Michigan to compare 

 cherry trees cultivated upon the Mazzard stock with 

 those budded upon the Mahaleb stock, a variety of 

 cherry which is imported from Europe, and on which 

 cherries when budded or grafted, thrive well. There 

 we saw cherry trees growing side by side for the last 

 four yeare upon both kinds of stocks. Those budded 

 on the JIazzard had so badly cracked that they were 

 nearly dead and worthless, while those on the Maha- 

 leb were in the finest possible health and vigor. The 

 owner, a very inteUigent cultivator, said that he would 

 not plant a cherry tree in his locality upon the Maz- 

 zard stock, as he considered it utterly worthless; and 

 the only stock fit to use was the Mahaleb — thus in- 

 suring healthy, vigorous and productive trees. This 

 soil was similar to the prairie soils of the West, be- 

 ing rich, deep, and vei-y productive. This corres- 

 ponds with our heretofore e.xpressed belief, that those 

 who possess rich alluvial soils, which make a rapid, 

 succulent growth in the fall, cannot grow cherries 

 successfully on the common Mazzard, but could do it 

 upon the Mahaleb stock. We would esteem it as a 

 fiivor if any on • « ho may have experience with cher- 

 ries upon both stocks at the West, would advise us 

 of h'.s \ iews. 



In regard to sorts of the respective kinds of fruit, 

 experience has yet to prove what kind will succeed 

 best. Among apples, enough is already known to 

 decide upon the merits of many of our leading varie- 

 ties; some maintain their high eastern character, 

 white others prove to be second, and some only third 

 rate. It is also noticed that some which are quite 

 inferior with us, promise to be among the most valu- 

 able. 



[For the Genesee Farmer.] 

 CULTTJEE OF APPLES AT THE WEST. 



Mr. Editor: To give the "modus operandi" of 

 the culture of apples, and the varieties gi-own at the 

 West, would require more time than I now have to 

 devote to it, or you inclination to publish. Suffice it 

 to say, that the proper mode of cultivation is very 

 different from the one usually adopted in Western 

 New York. Our climate is more varied and change- 

 able. At times, during December and Februarj', the 

 Jiercnry indicates 45° and 50°, and in six hours we 

 are not surprised to find it below zero, very often 

 proving fatal to young nursery trees, and frequently 

 killing orchards that have been some years set out. 

 Orchards where low heads have been formed, are 



found to be more hardy, less liable to injury, and 

 bearing earlier and more uniform crops. Three- 

 fourths of the orchards first set out in this region, 

 were from trees worked as high up as a man could 

 reach on seedling stocks. Most of these trees have 

 been blown over by our strong south-west winds to 

 an angle of 15 to 20 degrees, causing the sun to 

 strike them, the effect of which is, that all such trees, 

 with hardly an exception, are dead from the limbs to 

 the ground. Low-topped trees are never aflected in 

 this way, unless very upright growers, the limbs not 

 forming a shade for the trunk. I believe there is no 

 locality east or west where the culture of the apple 

 can be made as profitable as on the St. Joseph Val- 

 ley, extending from Lake Michigan back a distance 

 of GO miles through Northern Indiana and Southern 

 Michigan. Every year favors us with a bountiful 

 supply of apples, so much so, that last year 4,500 

 baiTels were shipped from our place alone to the 

 Chicago market, at prices ranging from 37J cents to 

 $1 per bushel, and fine fruit they were — better can- 

 not be grown — ^large, well colored, fine flavored, and 

 better samples than we have ever seen in New York. 

 Our apples (in fact, all fruits) grow larger and finer 

 here than those gi'own east, but will not keep as well. 

 The Rhode Island Greening is an autumn apple, 

 here seldom seen later than December, and the Eso- 

 pns Spitzrnburgh is now in prime eating order. We 

 attribute this to the exceedingly hot sun during sum- 

 mer, and the late, warm falls. Oui late or store ap- 

 ples are the Rawles' Janet, Prior s Red, American 

 Golden Russett, Cannon Pearmain, and others, (not 

 grown ill Western New York,) of which I shall 

 speak hereafter. 



The taste in horticulture is rapidly increasing. 

 More trees have been planted within one year than 

 for three years previously. Large orchards have 

 been set out for the purpose of supplying the Chicago 

 market, which, by the way, is second in this respect 

 to no city in the Union of double its age. We last 

 fall saw fine Virgalieu (White Doyenne) pears selling 

 for one shilling each; also Brantford's Late Bach at 

 the same price, and Fall Pippins at 3 to 5 cents 

 each. There can be no question but an orchard of > 

 a few thousand well selected apple trees would pay a 

 better profit than any other investment. Our locality 

 renders it an important fruit growing region. There 

 are at the north of us, in the lumber and mining 

 districts, large sections of country that are dependent 

 on other localities for their fruits, vegetables, &c., and 

 in all probability the next twenty yeara cannot half 

 supply the market. 



