November, 1889. 
205 
ORGHRRD 
)EN^ 
/VWWVWV JVWWW^S) 
Orchard Notings. 
Midwinter Apples. 
Too many growers make too great a point, 
I think, of long keeping in an apple. Of 
course there is a demand for long keepers, 
as well as a profit in growing them, — if they 
can be grown to perfection, and the grow- 
er has the facilities to hold them in good 
order until the market becomes bare in the 
spring. But there is a great deal of work 
and some risk in handling this class of ap- 
ples, and only a skillful specialist is able to 
make anything extra out of them. Latter- 
ly, by reason of cheap transportation, the 
necessity for long keeping apples is some- 
what abridged, and I am of the opinion 
that more attention should be given by 
planters to what are generally known as 
midwinter apples, many of which, how- 
ever, can by cold storage be kept in good 
order until April or May. These midwin- 
ter apples are, as a class, superior in des- 
s ert quality to the longer keep- 
ing sorts, and also in beauty. 
In England much is thought of 
the decorative value of fruits, 
and as wealth increases, a beau- 
tiful apple of fine dessert qual- 
ity, keeping into and through 
February, is going to be more 
and more called for. But to 
have them profitable they must 
be carefully grown and han- 
dled. If these points are at- 
tended to as they should be, no 
grower need fail of a satisfac- 
tory market. 
The Milding Apple. 
Here is a fine winter apple which seems 
to be winning its way in Maine as a variety 
suitable to localities unsuited to the Bald- 
win. It originated in Alton, N. H., near 
Lake Winnepesaukee, and wherever tested 
seems to have given a good account of it- 
self. Editor Gilbert of the Maine Farmer , 
himself an experienced fruit grower, speaks 
of it as bearing heavily and regularly, and 
giving great satisfaction to growers as a 
profitable fruit for market. It is not an 
“iron-clad,” but yet very hardy; and the 
tree is a fine, vigorous, upright grower, 
forming a large round head, capable of sup- 
porting the heavv load of fruit which it 
uniformly bears when well treated. The 
Mdding is large, oblate-conic in form, with 
a smooth, whitish skin, shaded, striped and 
mottled with a rich red in two shades over 
nearly the whole surface. Though the 
stalk is slender and rather short, the fruit 
Bed Bietinglicimer. 
It is with much satisfaction 
that I am able, after seven or 
eight years’ test, to pronounce 
this apple iron-clad in Northern 
New England. It has gone 
through all the winters un- 
harmed in a single bud, and 
two, at least, of them were 
among the severest on record. While the 
Oldenburgh is productive, handsome and 
saleable, there is decidedly a call for a bet- 
ter dessert fruit among our September ap- 
ples. The St. Lawrence is a large, hand- 
some and good fruit, but is a shy bearer. 
The Zolotoreff. among the Russians, is bet- 
ter than Oldenburgh and quite as hand- 
some, but its ribbed form is against it. The 
Titus, mentioned last month, is very accept- 
able, but I am inclined to believe that we 
shall find the Bietingheimer superior to any 
of these showy fall apples for market. 
There is no mistake about the value of 
large, handsome apples at this season. 
There is a great call for them at the street 
stands, on the cars, and in the markets. 
President Barry has strongly championed 
the merits of this new German candidate 
for our American suffrages, and withal has 
treated its Russian rivals rather too scorn- 
fully. But we cannot have too many good 
things, and I take great pleasure in hailing 
this apple as one likely to prove very prof- 
itable as a market fruit. 
Ss'vjf.:-, 
V- - < , 
Red Bietingheimer Apple. Fig. 397. 
is said to hold well to the tree. In quality 
the severely critical Downing says, — that 
with a brittle, tender and juicy flesh, it has a 
sprightly subacid aromatic flavor; — in short 
it is a prime and profitable apple for the 
middle north. It is a fair keeper. 
Granite Beauty. 
Here is another New Hampshire winter 
apple of superior merit, which has been 
considerably planted in New England with- 
in the past 15 years, and is becoming quite 
common in market. Like the Milding, it 
belongs to the class of apples not quite iron- 
clad, yet hardier and more vigorous than 
the Baldwin, and suited to more exposed 
localities. It originated on the farm of Z. 
Breed, in Weare. The tree is vigorous, 
with a spreading head, and is an annual 
bearer of large, roundish, oblongfruit, some- 
what ribbed. It is well striped and almost 
covered with two shades of red. Flesh 
whitish, tender, juicy and pleasantly acid. 
In season it is about with the Milding. 
Sutton Beauty. 
Here is an apple which has long been 
grown in Massachusetts, side by side with 
the Baldwin, and holding its own with it 
in the opinion of many; yet overshaded by 
the popularity of its better known rival. 
Lately it is being pushed into notice by 
nurserymen, and it really deserves much 
more attention than it has had. The tree 
is thrifty and very productive; fruit med- 
ium or above, waxen yellow shaded and 
striped with a fine crimson. Flesh white, 
crisp, tender, juicy and mildly acid. Season 
November to February. — T. H. Hoskins, 
M. D. 
Quince Culture, 
There is perhaps no fruit easier raised or 
more profitable than the quince. The de- 
mand for it is greater than several times 
the present supply, and at good prices. It 
may be that the scarcity of good quinces is 
owing to the fact that it is a 
fruit which cannot be treated 
with neglect and yet it is very 
generally neglected by the ma- 
jority of those who grow it. It 
cannot be successfully grown 
without cultivation and care 
but there is no secret about it, 
and it asks only for the same 
attention that is necessary to 
obtain a satisfactory crop of 
grapes or other fruit. 
The best soil for quinces is a 
moist but porous soil — not a 
wet one. Set the trees six or 
eight feet apart. Examine 
them before planting and see 
that they are entirely free of 
the borer. Apply a bandage of 
tarred muslin around the trees, 
reaching down the stem as far 
as possible and extending about 
six inches above ground. Ex- 
amine trees for the borer twice 
a year — in spring and fall. 
Cultivate well, keeping the soil frequently 
stirred. Apply a top dressing of salt, 
around the tree as far as the roots extend, 
at the rare of from two to three quarts per 
tree. Prime every spring, keeping the bush 
open to the air and light. The fruit is 
borne on spurs produced on wood of two 
years or more, hence this should be kept in 
mind when pruning. 
The best varieties are Meech’s Prolific 
and the Orange. Champion is a late vari- 
ety that will not ripen very far North as it 
requires a longer season. It is fully two 
weeks later than Orange and is an excel- 
lent keeper. 
Apples should not be put in the cellar 
until freezing weather arrives but should 
be stored at first in a cool dry place — a shed 
or barn — assorted and packed in clean bar- 
rels, and kept out of cellar as long as it is 
possible to do so without freezing. A cov- 
ering of hay or corn stalks will afford some 
protection. Unfortunately for the safe 
storing of fruit most cellars are too warm. 
