292 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



JtlN'K 



APPLES AND THE APPLE TKEE. 



AST year the apple 

 crop was so abun- 

 dant as to com- 

 pletely upset the 

 theory of some, 

 that the race of 

 apple trees was 

 run, and were never 

 again to be pro- 

 ductive in New 

 England. Gener- 

 ally, the crop was 

 a large one, apd 

 yet, in some locali- 

 ties, of comparatively small extent, there was 

 hardly a medium crop. 



At the time of harvesting, the price they 

 |)rought was considered low ; but those of 

 first quality paid rather better than most crops 

 of the farm. Large quantities were fed out 

 hi a cooked and raw state to the animals of the 

 farm, — horses, cows, pigs, and poultry', and 

 did good service in that way in the midst of a 

 very trying drought. Other large quantities 

 tvere converted into cider, and thus providing 

 that article for tlie table, and to replenish the 

 f tock of vinegar, which had become greatly 

 teduced. 



While attending the recent agricultural 

 meetings in the towns of Derrv' and Chester, 

 N. H., we learned that the apple crop was 

 very large in that region ; that those of first 

 quality sold last fall at profitable prices, and 

 that a large amount of cider was made, much 

 of which is still on hand. It was estimated 

 by some of the intelligent citizens of Chester, 

 that about 1.5,000 barrels of aj>ples were har- 

 vested in that town last fall, and that they 

 were worth $20,000. ]Mr. Lucikn Ivkxt, of 

 that town, who very kindly took us from 

 Derry to Chester, after the adjournment at 

 half -past nine, of the Derry meeting, informed 

 us that he had within a few weeks purchased 

 in Chester and sold again some $3000 worth 

 of a])ples for the Boston market. The aver- 

 age price to the producer has been .$2 per 

 barrel. The apples grown in this town have 

 been long esteemed for their excellent quali- 

 ties for transportation, and have been selected 

 as among the best to be exported. Although 

 some forty miles from Boston, they have usu- 

 ally brought twenty-five cents more per barrel 



than those grown in less than half that dis- 

 tance from that market. 



Some time in January, there was a real or 

 fancied scarcity of apples, and dealers went 

 to Chester in search of them. In their early 

 inquiries they were told that a great many 

 apples were harvested last fall, but that the 

 crop had generally been sold at that time. 

 But upon more extended in(iuiries it was 

 found that nearly every family had laid by a 

 few barrels of their choicest fruit, and that in 

 some instances, from five to fifteen barrels 

 were found, and in one cellar were more than 

 one hundred barrels of number one ! 



Mr. S. F. T^EARNARP informed us that in 

 putting uj) this one hundred barrels, he found 

 less than a peck of imperfect ones. He 

 gathers them from the first to the middle of 

 October, and takes them from the orchard 

 directly to the cellar. They are then placed 

 in bins, set up a little from the ground, and 

 some three or four feet high and three feet 

 wide. The bin should be tight, with the ex- 

 ception of the top, as a draft of air passing 

 among the fruit causes it to shrivel. The top 

 of the bm is covered witli loose boards. He 

 finds that apples in this condition, in a cool 

 cellar and of even temperature, will remain 

 for several months and come out fresh, juicy 

 and crisp, and in fine fiavor. He has no dif- 

 ficulty in selling all he can raise at highly 

 remunerating prices. He thinks many apples 

 are gathered too early, and that an important 

 chairge takes place in the last few days, in the 

 coloring and ripening, Avhich greatly affects 

 their keeping qualities. 



We trust our readers will not be discour- 

 aged about the apple crop, but will continue 

 to plant trees which will produce the best 

 varieties of apples, when well cared for. 



In some recent articles we have called at- 

 tention to the cultivation of forest trees, and 

 wJU now add some remarks with particular 

 reference to the trees which produce this lead- 

 ing and favorite fruit of New England. 



The skill and care required in taking up and 

 setting out young api)le trees in order that they 

 shall live and grow thriftily, does not seem to 

 be sufliciently impressed upon the minds of 

 many who are attempting to rear them. 



The selecting a good tree and burying its 

 roots in the ground, is by no means all that is 

 embraced in the work of transplanting. By 



