308 



The Garden Magazine, July, 1922 



If the soil has sufficient organic matter, a fertilizer containing 

 6 per cent, of nitrogen, 8 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and 5 per 

 cent, of potash may be used instead of manure, and applied at 

 the rate of from 12 to 20 pounds per full-grown tree, in early 

 spring, and worked in. Nitrate of soda applied four weeks be- 

 fore bloom may greatly increase the same year's crop, by in- 

 vigorating the tree so that it holds its fruit better. 



Troubles That May Threaten 



THE Apple has more insect enemies and diseases than our 

 other common fruits, but relatively few insects will attack 

 trees; and parasites will be equally busy attacking the insects 

 themselves in turn. 



Such enemies have in fact greatly benefited fruit growing by 

 compelling us to prune, spray, and take better care of our trees. 

 Never before have spraying equipment and materials been so 

 efficient. Never has it been possible to grow better apples. 

 Manufacturers of spraying equipment and materials give clear, 

 concise directions for the control of these enemies, which need 

 not be enumerated here. 



If, from any cause, patches of bark should die on the trunk or 

 branches of the trees remove all diseased and injured tissues with 

 a strong-bladed knife and what other tools may be needed; 

 then coat all parts with a rather thick paste of dry bordeaux and 

 water, carried in a wooden or earthenware vessel, applied as 

 whitewash would be, repeating this application each spring and 

 fall until the wound is healed. The common practice has been 

 to use lead paint, but there seems to be evidence that moisture 

 and disease germs get beneath it. 



Fire blight is not usually a serious danger to Apple trees. 

 If it should appear, sow the ground to Buckwheat at once (about 

 a pint to the square rod), to check growth. It is common to 

 cut off the branches as fast as they show the blight, well below 

 where the infection can be seen, disinfecting the tools and 

 wounds and burning the severed branches. But the sap is apt 

 largely to neutralize the effect of the disinfectant, and there is 

 danger of spreading the disease by trying to control it. It is 

 usually safer for the amateur to leave it alone until time to gather 

 winter apples, when the disease will be in its resting stage. At 

 that time cut out and burn all affected branches. A thorough 



application of the winter strength lime-sulphur spray usually 

 affords a sufficient disinfection for the wounds. 



What Varieties to Plant 



THIS is a big problem, with different local answers, and lists 

 can only be suggestive and must omit many meritorious 

 varieties. The right way is to study, list, and then consult the 

 county agricultural agent and your state experiment station. 

 Two general lists running through the season are here given. The 

 first is for the Baldwin Belt — New England and westward, and 

 the second for the Stayman Belt — New Jersey, Maryland, and 

 westward. The varieties are given without regard to their 

 commerical value, because home quality is our chief considera- 

 tion in this series of articles. 



Those marked "T" should not be purchased from the nur- 

 sery, but be top worked on some healthy vigorous variety, such 

 as Paragon or Northern Spy. 



For the Baldwin Belt: Yellow Transparent, a very young bearer, very 

 early in season; excellent culinary variety, but blights badly. Red Astrachan, 

 reliable old culinary variety; red. Early Harvest, excellent dessert apple; yellow. 

 Oldenburg {Duchess), immediately after Red Astrachan; very young bearer; 

 good culinary variety; red. Primate, superior dessert variety; long season; 

 yellow. Gravenstein, excellent dessert and culinary variety; season very long; 

 uncertain bearer in some localities; yellow and red; not very healthy; T. Mcin- 

 tosh, beautiful, excellent, red dessert variety; in season with Maiden's Blush and 

 Wealthy, which are also good. Fall Pippin, excellent dessert and culinary 

 variety; yellow; in season with Mcintosh. Tompkins King, superior dessert 

 and culinary variety; not healthy; T. Hubbardston, excellent dessert variety, 

 brownish; not very rugged; T. Esopus (Spit^enburg), excellent dessert variety ; 

 not healthy nor reliably productive; T. Rhode Island Greening, excellent culinary 

 and good dessert variety; green. Northern Spy, a tardy, but abundant, bearer 

 of very superior dessert and culinary quality; red; a very healthy vigorous stock 

 for other kinds. Baldwin, most popular variety; a rather tardy but abundant 

 bearer; good dessert, excellent culinary variety; red or yellow and red. 



For the Stayman Belt: Yellow Transparent. Red June, a choice dessert 

 variety in season with Yellow Transparent; hard to get. Red Astrachan. Early 

 Harvest. Oldenburg (Duchjss) Williams, beautiful choice dessert variety; red. 

 Primate. Wealthy, very young bearer; excellent culinary and fair to good des- 

 sert variety; beautiful red. Maiden's Blush, good culinary variety; yellow 

 with blush; excellent for jelly. Fall Pippin, in season with the two preceding 

 varieties. Smokehouse, good dessert and excellent culinary variety; a favorite 

 for apple butter; dull red. Grimes, standard of excellence as dessert variety, 

 also a choice culinary variety; not healthy; golden yellow; T. Stayman, unex- 

 celled for culinary and dessert purposes; red. Jonathan, very young bearer; 

 excellent dessert variety. York Imperial, good cooker and keeper. Delicious 

 and Golden Delicious are very good autumn or early winter varieties. Yellow 

 Bellflower, Newtown, Mother, Fameuse, Chenango, and several other varieties are 

 very desirable kinds in some localities. 



ORCHARD FACTS FOR READY REFERENCE 



— Apples lying on the ground quickly collect bacteria, and 

 frequently spread fungous and insect pests. 



— It is claimed that the farther north the apple is raised the 

 longer it will keep. 



— Plant standard Apple trees 40 feet each way. Peach or 

 Plum trees may be used as fillers between them. 



— The bearing life of the Apple tree is from 25 to 40 years, 

 the Pear, 50 to 75 years; and the Plum, from 20 to 25 years. 



— The time to pick pears is when the stem readily parts from 

 the branch when the fruit is slightly lifted. 



— The Pear orchard does best when allowed to grow up in sod. 

 Slow and hardy growth in sod renders Pear trees more resistant 

 to disease. 



—Blue-grass makes a good sod for the Pear orchard. 



— Thin plums the same as peaches. 



—Plums require a light, open soil and subsoil. 



— Cherries are most successful in light, open subsoils. 



— The Quince is easily propagated from cuttings. 



— Cultivation is more. essential in the Peach orchard than 

 either pruning or spraying. 



— Peaches should be thinned to at least five inches apart; 

 for first quality of fruit from six to eight inches. 



—The Peach does not require fertilizing until it has set a crop. 

 Then fertilizers should be applied freely in order to maintain the 

 vigor of the tree. 



