1080 



NEW HAMPSHIRE 



NEW HAMPSHIRE 



the first vineyard, together with other fruits, near the 

 mouth of the Piscataqua river, now Portsmouth. There 

 are many such old horticultural landmarks. 



The native fruits are only too abundant in the state 

 at the present time. The old idea that the destination 

 of the apple was the cider barrel got so strong a foot- 

 hold in some sections that, as the virgin soils began to 



1480. New Hampshire, with three cultural divisions. 



decline and the wheat crop and its associates in agri- 

 cultural operations moved on to the West, it was not 

 thought worth while to adopt modern methods of fruit- 

 growing. In other sections, however, quite the reverse 

 is true, as there are signs of awakening at later dates. 

 Some towns are noted for their large areas of old or- 

 chards still in bearing but rapidly declining. In one 

 town where from 20,000 to 30,000 barrels of apples have 

 been shipped in a fruit season, the industry has now 

 nearly run out. However, the land containing these 

 old trees is, it is said, worth twice as much as other 

 land. Comparatively few new trees have been set in 

 this section, and it is found that the whole industry is 

 the result of one man's interest and labor two genera- 

 tions ago. 



In some places grafting the native apple trees to 

 Baldwins or the improved fruits has been very exten : 

 sively practiced, with good results. Where this has 

 been done, however, the trees are now old, and as cul- 

 tivation and renovation of orchards have scarcely ever 

 been practiced, they are naturally on the decline. 



While these conditions are not flattering, they never- 

 theless show what must be overcome in the future. 

 However, it is surprising to see what a quantity of fruit 

 is raised in favorable seasons, and this goes to show 

 that under intelligent and progressive management 

 success will be assured. 



At present the horticultural interests are gradually 



being better understood, and the trend has begun in 

 the right direction. There are many things accountable 

 for this awakening. The people are coming to realize 

 that there are newer and better methods, and that the 

 new agriculture stands for more business and energy. 

 The development of this condition is coming through 

 the efforts of the grange, experiment stations, the 

 agricultural press, State Board of Agriculture, and 

 agricultural teaching in state colleges, all of which 

 have in the main the same objects in view. 



Here and there young orchards are being set, and the 

 predictions are that the near future will find New 

 Hampshire as one of the best fruit states. The Bald- 

 win apple is the standard variety throughout the south- 

 ern part of the state. In the northern part of the state 

 the Bethel is being planted and, it is thought, will be 

 to this section what the Baldwin is to the other. Almost 

 all other varieties common to New York are grown with 

 equally good success. Even in the White Mountain re- 

 gion it is being demonstrated that orcharding is a worthy 

 industry. A list of apples adapted to the northern 

 part of the state, named in order of their ripening, as 

 furnished by Mr. J. D. Howe, of Lancaster, a large 

 fruit-grower, is as follows : Yellow Transparent, Tetof- 

 sky, White Astrachan, Red Astrachan, Peach, Duchess 

 of Oldenburg, St. Lawrence, Alexander, Fall Jennet- 

 ting, Fameuse, Wealthy, Nodhead, Porter, Talman 

 Sweet, Gideon, Bethel, Mclntosh Red, Twenty Ounce, 

 Yellow Bellflower, Northern Spy, Stark and Ben Davis. 



Pears and plums do very well generally throughout 

 the state. Peaches do fairly well in the southern part. 

 During 1897 and 1898 there was a very fine crop. The 

 varieties of greatest value are Mountain Rose and Early 

 Crawford. Small fruits generally are easily grown in 

 the state. 



The wild grapes found quite commonly on the stone 

 walls and hedges in the southern part of the state are 

 not the native varieties, but wildings showing indica- 

 tions of Vitis vinifera blood. Many of them are very 

 palatable and valuable. 



New Hampshire has many advantages for horticul- 

 tural work. The markets are usually good and within 

 easy access ; and the great number of summer boarders 

 also makes a ready market. It is also within easy 

 reach of exporting stations, which in seasons of large 

 crops is an advantage. p WM. RANK. 



New Hampshire is a small state, and may well be 

 called a land of horticultural possibilities rather than 

 achievement. With some of the best markets in the 

 country within a day's journey, and the rapid extension 

 of electric railroads, both in mileage and usefulness, 

 there seems no good reason why all the hardier kinds 

 of fruit may not be raised at a profit. 



The southern half of the state is hilly but can hardly 

 be called mountainous. Through it run several fertile 

 valleys with excellent opportunities for gardening and 

 small-fruit raising. The uplands produce apples of fine 

 quality even under the present system of neglect, and 

 it would seem that in this whole region commercial 

 horticulture must become more and more profitable and 

 popular, as improved methods of culture are adopted. 



The White Mountains cover the greater part of the 

 northern half of the state ; here, the entertainment of 

 tourists and visitors in summer, and lumbering in win- 

 ter will probably continue to be the leading industries, 

 unless rational "methods of forest management are too 

 long postponed. 



It is recorded that a vineyard and other fruits were 

 set out on the eastern coast of New Hampshire as early 

 as 1623. Doubtless much of this succumbed to the 

 severity of the long winters, and it is the apple alone 

 that stands out preeminent in horticultural history as 

 the fruit of the Granite State. Many of the early set 

 tiers came from the southwestern counties of England. 

 To them cider and perry seemed almost as necessary 

 as food, and very soon after their arrival they began to 

 set orchards of apples and pears. Their particular ob- 

 ject was not the fruit itself, but the beverages made 

 from it. The following item is taken from one of the 

 many town histories that have been published in New 

 Hampshire, and although it may be slightly exaggerated, 

 it gives some idea of the apple industry one hundred 

 years ago: 



