Sometimes oii>' labors seem as lost 



And all our yearmngs seem in vain, 



And blessings that we prt^e the most 



Are blown in winds or dropped in rain 



Indiana Apples. — Forty years ago, I made my first 

 visit to Indiana. I selected a bushel of Maiden Blush 

 apples and sent them to Mr. Hooker, of Rochester, New 

 York, as a specimen of Indiana fruit. He wrote me that 

 they were the finest specimens of apples he had ever 

 seen ; yet they were no finer than many other varieties 

 grown here at that time. No defects on them ; the moth 

 of England was unknown, and even the curculio was a 

 stranger. Our fruit to-day is not so good. Lately how- 

 ever, owing to spraying, I have seen some fruit almost 

 as fine as in those old days. Indiana is an apple and 

 pear region ; safer I think from the late frosts in spring 

 than Ohio or western New York. Nearly all kinds of 

 fruit do well here. Of late years I have noticed a falling 

 off in the number of our insect enemies, due partially, 

 I think, to a parasitic enemy and to the increase of 

 birds. I even dare to say that much is due to the Eng- 

 lish sparrow. This poor bird has been maligned and 

 legislated against with very little reason, while some 

 other birds, like the robin, that never was known to do 

 a good act, have even passed into verse as "good." Our 

 people are awakening to the fact that Indiana can raise 

 apple and fruits of all kinds. She knows that such 

 crops as she used to raise will be better pay than hog 

 and hominy. The whole country needs to raise more 

 fruit, fruit of all kinds. They want to cultivate, prune 

 and take care of their orchards, and, if needs be, spray 

 and encourage every possible means of keeping in sub- 

 jection our insect enemies. — A. C. Bates, Indiana. 



The Apple in Missouri. — The unprecedented suc- 

 cess of the apple crop in Missouri in 1890, aroused an 

 interest in the cultivation of this fruit that bids fair to 

 bring about such an immense industry in this line as 

 will open the eyes of fruit growers abroad. There have 

 been orchards of thousands of trees planted all over 

 the state, within a year. As to varieties, Ben Davis still 

 seems to hold the lead. While only third rate in quality, 

 its handsome size, productiveness and health of tree 

 seem to make it the most profitable. Some tell me that 

 there are other trees that bring them in more money. 

 Ben Davis, Willow Twig, Jonathan and Jennetting are 

 still largely planted, but of late there are others that 

 are promising to take the place of some of these. I must 

 not omit Winesap — it should be have been included in 

 the list. 



The Missouri Pippin is a favorite with many ; the only 



fault found in it is its early and too abundant bear- 

 ing ; hence the trees are short lived. This is a mistake, 

 as by the proper thinning out of the fruit this fault 

 would be removed. The York Imperial is gaining favor 

 and will be extensively planted. Gano is a most beau- 

 tiful apple, and is popular, Babbit (the western Bald- 

 win) is coming to the front, as also Clayton and Mammoth 

 Black-twig. The fact is, we have a host of valuable 

 varieties out here that are destined to make their 

 mark. For summer and fall, the Rambo, Maiden's 

 Blush, Grimes Golden and Yellow Bellflower, are all 

 favorites. The man who brings out an apple equal to 

 Ben Davis in all other respects but with the quality of 

 Jonathan or Grimes Golden, will be a public bene- 

 factor. 



As to cultivation and training, there is more in this 

 than all else. Train a tree from its youth up, with low 

 heads to protect the trunks from the hot sun in summer, 

 as well as in winter when the wood is frozen ; constant 

 cultivation, but not so deep as to mutilate roots, with 

 proper thinning of the fruit when trees are overloaded, 

 and there will be no off year, as it is called. My opinion 

 is that if an apple orchard is constantly kept clean, we 

 would have but little trouble with the codlin moth. 

 Where cultivation is abandoned, seed to clover ; mow 

 this three times in a season, letting all lay on the ground. 



The spraying with arsenites has proven a success 

 against the worms in apples. Here on my place, they 

 did not trouble us much until within a few years, but 

 now we will have to resort to spraying. The crop in this 

 region is not more than one-fonrth of what it was last 

 year.— S. Milj.er, Blufflon, Mo. 



Strawberry Fertilizers South. — It is claimed by 

 Mr. Julius Schnadelbach, of Grand Bay, Ala., that 

 acid phosphate is a bad thing to use on strawberries. 

 " No bad efl'ect is noticed while the weather remains 

 dry, but after the first good rain the plants begin to lose 

 their leaves. They burn up. If the weather is dry 

 again, they recover, only to be blasted again. It is the 

 caustic lime in the acid phosphate that is the cause of 

 this. Lime should never be applied to strawberries. 

 Ground bone should be used, and I have no doubt that 

 the untreated soft phosphate of Florida is equally as 

 good. Kainit is also to be let alone, but does not 

 always have a bad effect. Some varieties are affected 

 more than others; this I found out by experimenting. 



