1 64 Apple- Culture. — TJie Aphis. 



APPLE-CULTURE. —THE APHIS. 



The past few years have been discouraging to the fruit-culturist in New 

 England; and every one depending upon his apple-orchard as a considera- 

 ble means of support has been sorely disappointed. We formerly gathered 

 a supply of fruit every year, and a superabundance in alternate years. 

 We well remember when cider was a dollar a barrel, and good grafted 

 apples abundant at twenty-five cents per bushel ; and when cider was in 

 demand at five dollars per barrel, and apples at a dollar per bushel, we 

 pitied the purchaser, and felt some qualms of conscience in taking what 

 he was so ready to give. But we have gradually grown accustomed to 

 high prices; and the scarcity of fruit has been so great for tw^o years, that 

 we part with apples reluctantly at five dollars per barrel, and can hardly 

 afford to make cider at ten dollars. These prices indicate great changes; 

 but they do not necessarily show that fruit has diminished in the same rate 

 that the price has advanced. In 1834, the quantity of fruit in New 

 England was probably as small as in 1866 : but the demand was also 

 limited ; our population having more than doubled within that time, and 

 the consumption of fruit having increased faster than the increase of the 

 population. Is it not possible that the limited supply of the present day 

 is in part owing to the fact that the orchards which our fathers planted 

 have died from old age, and want of care, and new ones have not taken 

 their place in a ratio commensurate with the increase of population ? We 

 know that untimely frosts, blighting winds, greedy caterpillars, and vora- 

 cious borers, have produced sad havoc of late : but the frosts are no more 

 untimely, and the winds no more bligliting, than of yore; and though the 

 caterpillars, borers, aphides, and curculios have increased, our knowledge 

 of them also has increased, and the means for their extermination are, to a 

 good extent, within our power. We must expect, as our fruits become 

 more delicate in texture and flavor and our fruit-trees more highly culti- 

 vated, that their diseases and insect-enemies will increase. This should 

 not discourage us, but serve rather as a stimulant to increased exertion. 

 A good apple is too luscious, and too much a necessary, to be lightly 

 relinquished because an insignificant bark-louse has fastened itself on the 



