10 



APPLE CULTURE. 



As the apple is unquestionably the most important 

 fruit raised in Nova Scotia, the best methods of its culture 

 is a question of the utmost importance. The object to be 

 aimed at is to obtain the greatest quantity of large, sound,, 

 handsomely formed, well iflavored, and highly colored fruit. 

 To attain this most desirable object requires constant, 

 care and attention from the time the seed is planted until 

 the crop is harvested and marketed. We will therefore 

 consider apple culture under the following heads : — 



L Selection and Preparation of Ground (Drainage). 



IL Buying or Raising Trees. 



IIL Selection of Varieties. 



IV. Transplanting. 



V. Cultivation. 



VL Manuring, Mulching. 



VII. Grafting, Budding. 



VIIL Pruning. 



IX. Thinning Fruit. 



X. Destruction of Insect Enemies. 



XI. Prevention of Diseases. 



XII. Picking, packing, marketing. 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF GROUND. 



A great deal depends upon the site selected for an 

 orchard. Many people plant their trees on land that is 

 little good for anything else ; others again plant them 

 around the fences out of the way of cultivation, or along 

 the banks^of brooks. It is needless to say that such 

 seldom attain success. As you may expect your orchard 

 to produce the most profitable crop grown on the farm, it 

 should be given the best ground. Whatever will produce 

 a vigorous growth of corn or potatoes, will in general be 

 best for trees. Sterile soil is unfavorable for both, but 

 doubly so for the latter, for while it only lessens in quantity 

 the growth of farm crops, it lessens the quantity and 

 greatly injures the quality of fruit. 



Trees will grow well on sandy loam, or clayey soils. 

 The soil should be dry, firm, mellow, and fertile. It should 

 be deep, or made so by ploughing, to allow extension of the 

 rootlets ; dry, or made so, by draining to prevent injury by 

 stagnant water below the surface. Peaty or spongy soils. 

 are not suitable for the growth of fruit trees. 





