Better Apples for New England— By George T. Powell, 



New 

 York 



WITH DECREASING FRUIT PRODUCTION UNDER THE OLD METHODS THE TIME ARRIVES FOR A MORE SPECIAL- 

 IZED KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT AND WHERE TO PLANT— MAKING THE GROWING ORCHARD PAY ITS WAY 



r I ''HE apple holds the position of the 

 *- King of Fruits, because of the variety 

 of uses for which it is available and the long 

 season over which it may be used. The 

 record crop of this fruit was produced in 

 1896, when sixty-nine million barrels were 

 taken from the orchards of our country 

 since which twenty-three millions to thirty- 

 six millions has been the range of annual 

 production. With the increasing demand 

 for apples, from a rapidly growing popula- 

 tion and a decreased supply, prices have 

 become so high as to almost put them in the 

 list of luxuries. 



It is important that those who anticipate 

 planting apple trees obtain specific in- 

 formation about the factors which influ- 

 ence the crop, that more and better fruit 

 may be obtained from the land that is 

 planted. 



It need be understood clearly that the soil 

 must be good, even highly productive; if 

 otherwise, it should be made so. No one, 

 however, need be deterred from planting 



trees because the soil is poor or in a depleted 

 condition — as much of it is, especially over 

 portions of New York and New England. 

 For, while the trees are growing, the soil 

 may be steadily, even rapidly, improved. 

 Where orchards on a commercial scale are to 

 be planted, it is highly important that a right 

 location be chosen. Apple trees cannot 

 thrive if they are planted in a swamp or on 

 low, wet land. They do best on elevations 

 ranging from three hundred to twelve hun- 

 dred feet above sea level; but it is desirable 

 to grow apples on land that lies on a higher 

 altitude, in such states as Maine, New Hamp- 

 shire, and Vermont, and this may be done 

 by choosng varieties specially suited to such 

 conditions, rather than those that may be 

 successfully grown only in the southern por- 

 tions of New England. 



The soil on hills or on elevated situations 

 is, as a rule, well drained naturally, and the 

 roots of the trees find genial conditions under 

 which they thrive and produce the best fruit 

 of which they are capable. Another impor- 



tant fact to be understood in selecting ele- 

 vated situations for orchards is, that trees 

 require an abundance of pure air: they cannot 

 thrive in low, wet land because the air does 

 not sufficiently reach their roots; neither can 

 the leaves do their work properly when they 

 are enveloped in a misty, heavy atmosphere, 

 as oppressive to them as to humans. Again, 

 cold air settles to the lower levels, and frosts 

 are more destructive, while on the elevation 

 the air is lighter, dryer and warmer. 



First of all is thorough tillage. The soil 

 of New England is more or less depleted, 

 but it is by no means exhausted; it is, indeed, 

 marvelously supplied with plant food. With 

 proper tillage the soil of New England will 

 continue to improve for a thousand years 

 to come. Tillage should be accompanied by 

 the growing of leguminous plants (such as 

 red and crimson clover, beans, peas, and 

 winter vetch), to be sown annually after 

 tillage ceases, and to be ploughed in early the 

 following spring. Lime is essential in all 

 soils, and one thousand to fifteen hundred 



This kind of "filler" lielps the orchard to pay its way. A four-year-old Wagener apple tree carrying 165 apples after thi nn ing 



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