136 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



from any other section of the world. Apples from 

 Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Nebraska, and other ex- 

 treme Western states are often of large size and beau- 

 tiful color, but are coarse in texture and of poor quality. 

 The apple is very prolific, single trees frequently yield- 

 ing fifteen to twenty barrels of fruit. Two acres are 

 known to have produced fruit in one season that sold 

 for $500. There are within the limits of the city of 

 Worcester, Mass., seven young trees that produced 

 one hundred and seven dollars ($107) worth of 

 fruit in a single season. Three trees in Williamsburg, 

 Mass., are reported to have yielded sixty-five barrels of 

 apples. 



The Best Soil. 



The soil best suited for the growth of the apple is a 

 strong moist loam, a clay loam, or a clay soil, well under- 

 drained. The noted apple growing sections of the coun- 

 try are Nova Scotia, Maine, Canada, northern New 

 England, Champlain Valley, Vermont, northern New 

 York, and Michigan, and other localities where the soil 

 is "good grass land." The best results are obtained 

 where the land is deeply fitted and kept thoroughly cul- 

 tivated. If it is not in good condition to start with, it 

 may be cheaply made so by growing and plowing under 

 cover crops like clover, rye, peas and oats, soybean, corn, 

 peas and barley, etc., using from 300 to 500 pounds of 

 some good grain fertilizer per acre, or a light dressing of 

 manure, if the land is very poor. Thus upon land 

 plowed the spring previous to planting we may sow very 

 early peas and oats, one and one-half bushel of the former, 

 two of the latter. When the peas are in bloom and the 

 oats heading out plow under and at once sow buckwheat. 

 Let this grow until the first to middle of August, then 

 plow under and sow peas and barley. This latter crop 

 will grow until severe freezing weather, and should be 



