WHAT, WHY and HOW MUCH FRUIT to PLANT 



JOHN L. DOAN 



School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. 



This Year's Opportunities and Possibilities Measured by the Family Needs and Available Space 



Editors' Note: Taken in conjunction with the article on flower seeds elsewhere in this issue, and with that on vegetables in January we have a trio of 

 practical, elemental articles that enable the veriest tyro in gardening to start the year's work with an intelligent understanding of his actual needs and the ways 

 to satisfy them. The summarized facts and data of yields etc. also hold matter of moment for the advanced gardener. These preliminary articles will be followed 

 in season by specialized topics and discussions of particular crops. The average home garden is notoriously deficient in fruit, perhaps because of a subconscious 

 thought that fruits for current needs can always be bought. They can, of a kind, but not the kind that a gardener can grow for himself. Apart from the matter 

 of intrinsic quality and state of maturity it must be recognized that good fruit is becoming less and less easy to obtain at reasonable prices and that this deficiency of 

 an acknowledged essential in the dietary must be supplied at home. Subsequent articles by Mr. Doan will discuss individual fruits, Strawberries coming in March. 



4 E business man, considering an applicant for a position, 

 9 asks: "What can he do? How much would he beworth to 



my enterprise?" Equally the garden owner considering 

 the desire to plant a fruit garden, may well ask himself: 

 " What can it do? How much will it be worth to my family and 

 myself? Will it pay?" 



When compelled to purchase all the fruit desired by the 

 family, the cost, as a rule, greatly restricts the use of one 

 constituent of the dietary that has recognized therapeutic value. 

 In fact, the absence of an adequate fruit diet reacts injuriously 

 on the individual. When Strawberries must be bought at a 

 fancy price for a shortcake, they are likely to be, quantitatively, 

 its shortest ingredient. If, however, the garden has an abund- 

 ant supply of this excellent fruit, shortcake can be had twice 

 as often and will be twice as good. With fruit growing in 

 abundance on your own grounds, the family is no longer merely 

 tantalized by a taste of it in season, but is satisfied by a generous 

 supply, not only in season, but all the year round; for it may be 

 canned, evaporated, preserved, or made into jam, jelly, mar- 

 malade, etc. to reappear upon the table in countless appetizing 

 forms. 



Fresh and Gathered at the Right Stage 



MOST of the fruit offered for sale has been shipped from 

 producing centres frequently at a great distance; it must 

 have been gathered before fully ripe, and has been a considerable 

 time "on the road." This means that perishable fruits cannot 

 have the mellowness, freshness, and high quality possible when 

 gathered at the best picking stage and served the same day. If 

 you have ever made a comparison of shipped and home grown 

 perishable fruits, need anything more be said? 



The commercial fruit grower is running a business enter- 

 prise to pay the largest dividends. Vigor and productive- 

 ness of the variety, and attractive appearance, large size, and 

 good shipping and keeping quality of the fruit, are perforce put 

 ahead of excellence. Rarely is the most healthy and productive 

 variety also of the highest quality. In a majority of cases the 

 most showy fruits are not the best, for the very characteristics 

 that make a perishable fruit ship or keep exceptionally well 

 are likely to lower its quality. A familiar example of an in- 

 ferior but attractive fruit is the Ben Davis Apple. In the 

 regions well adapted to it, it is almost an ideal variety in every 

 respect, except quality. But as " most people taste with their 

 eyes," the mere appearance of this apple with no quality back of 

 it, made it a good seller for many years. The Ohio Raspberry 

 is one of the seediest and poorest in quality of the black varieties, 

 yet, where Raspberries are grown for evaporating, this seedi- 

 ness, which means a less loss of weight in the process, makes it 

 one of the most profitable varieties to grow for that purpose! 



Some of the best quality fruits are tardy or poor bearers; 

 and some are lacking in health and vigor and require special 

 care. The Late Crawford Peach, one of our best, cannot pay 

 the orchardist as well as Elberta, unless he gets about three 

 times as much per bushel for it. The Roxbury Russet and 



Esopus Spitzenburg Apples are so exacting that very few 

 orchardists outside of certain favored regions try to grow these 

 apples for the general market, although they sell at high prices. 

 The sure way to have the choicest varieties is to grow them 

 for oneself. A few may be too exacting for any except the most 

 skilled to essay; but unless the climate and soil be definitely 

 unfavorable, many varieties of excellent quality, reasonably 

 healthy and productive may be grown successfully. 



A Fascinating Game 



PLANTING and the care of or oversight of berry plants, 

 vines, or trees, from the time when the ground is prepared 

 for setting them out until the fruit is on the table, is in itself 

 a fascinating game. 



There is need of training to give them the desired forms and 

 fruitfulness. It is interesting to watch how nipping here and 

 pinching there may direct the energy of growth into the part 

 where it is most needed; how light or severe pruning during 

 the dormant season may bring about desired results. Each kind 

 of tree or bush has its own habits of growth and bearing; 

 different varieties of the same kind have their peculiarities; and 

 each single plant, like each human being, has individual traits. 



Consider Area and Preferences 



THE available area greatly influences the choice of kinds of 

 fruit to be planted and the amount of each. An acre of 

 suitable ground should supply a large family abundantly with 

 all the common fruits throughout the year, and in most years 

 should leave a large surplus. (Such a planting is discussed and 

 illustrated in The Garden Magazine for January, 192 1). 

 A half-acre fruit garden in full bearing should more than supply 

 the current wants of a large family throughout the year in a 

 majority of seasons. Even a few square rods, well used, will go 

 far toward furnishing an ample supply of small fruits and 

 grapes in season. If only two or three square rods be available, 

 it is still well worth while to have a fruit garden. 



Site and Soil 



THE site of the fruit garden should not be lower than the 

 surrounding land and the soil must be well drained either 

 naturally or artificially. Different kinds of fruits have their 

 preferences as to soil, of course; but reasonably good results may 

 be obtained from most of them on the same land, if the right 

 care be given. 



Do not plant Strawberries on newly broken sod, because of 

 the danger of attack by grub worms. They should be preceded 

 by at least one, and preferably two, cultivated crops. 



Though it is desirable that sod ground be cultivated a year 

 before any fruits are planted on it, yet satisfactory results may 

 usually be obtained on broken sod that has been thoroughly 

 prepared, if the trees are properly planted and given good after 

 attention. 



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