34 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 18 
abundance and low prices. In the second place, if the 
eastern grower is up in his business he will endeavor 
to produce fruit of the best quality. We are able to 
do it successfully, and it would seem short-sighted 
policy not to do so. New York and New England can 
and do grow, at least to a limited extent, apples of 
the very highest quality and of the best keeping con¬ 
ditions, and have a good reputation both at home and 
abroad, and what we should want to do is not only to 
maintain our reputation, but improve it. The great 
Southwest is going to fill the markets with Ben Davis 
apples; if the growers don’t it will not be their fault. 
Do we want to compete with them by growing this 
same variety? I for one do not think so, and I con¬ 
fess that I am unable to understand why people go 
wild over this variety, which has nothing to commend 
it except appearance and keeping qualities. I was 
surprised a short time since when I asked a nursery¬ 
man what his best seller was, that he answered Ben 
Davis. A prominent fruit grower of this State pub¬ 
licly stated a few years ago that the Baldwin apples 
were responsible for the glut of 1896, as they all took 
a notion to bear at once. If a good apple like the 
Baldwin is able to paralyze our markets once in 
a while, how will it be when the Ben Davis comes to 
the front? The markets are yearly becoming more 
exacting, especially in seasons of abundance, and the 
taste of the consuming public is being educated in the 
line of quality more rapidly than many people realize. 
It is a well-known fact that for several years there 
has been a scarcity of high-grade apples in our east¬ 
ern markets, and for such fancy prices have been 
paid. I believe that we can safely increase our plant¬ 
ing of good late Fall and early Winter fruit, that have 
good shipping qualities, such as will stand export. 
We have every reason to expect an increased foreign 
demand if we can supply the class of stock called for, 
and it would seem advisable that we grow quite large¬ 
ly of varieties that are sufficiently matured at gath¬ 
ering time to admit of immediate export. Rhode Isl¬ 
and Greening, Hubbardston and Sutton are such. In 
the main I think in the future as in the past our chief 
dependence should be on good-keeping Winter apples 
of high quality. Growers, of course, are to be guided 
in selection of varieties by their respective locations. 
Newburgh, N. Y. j. r. Cornell. 
Suit Variety to Location. 
That apple growers in the East have sharp compe¬ 
tition from the West is now a fact. That this com¬ 
petition will be greatly accentuated in the near fu¬ 
ture is doubtless true. How this competition shall 
be most successfully met is merely a matter of opin¬ 
ion. The proximity to market, the adaptability of 
soil to particular desirable varieties, and the circum¬ 
stances of the grower, as to whether apple growing is 
to be a leading object or a part of other lines of 
production, must of necessity be considered and de¬ 
cided by each individual for himself. While it is 
true that the products of the great commercial or¬ 
chards of Missouri, Kansas and other western States 
can be placed in carload lots at the seaboard at about 
the same expense per barrel as can the fruit grown 
within a hundred miles of the cities in the East, it 
does not follow that nearly all the apples grown in 
the great producing sections of the West will be 
placed in our eastern markets. The number of large 
and rapidly growing cities in the central part of the 
nation will absorb increasingly large quantities of 
the fruit grown near to them. Of course there is a 
demand for Fall-ripening varieties of apples in every 
city, but as there are at that time many other kinds 
of desirable and perishable fruits in the market, the 
demand for these early varieties of apples must al¬ 
ways be small as compared with those of better-keep¬ 
ing quality that are later in coming to market. It is 
evident that early varieties of apples must be grown 
near the centers of consumption. While the demand 
is comparatively light, it should not be forgotten by 
the grower that it is more expensive to place Fall 
apples in market than the Winter sorts. Fall apples 
must be gathered as fast as they mature, and imme¬ 
diately placed on the market, thus necessitating go¬ 
ing over each tree two or three times to gather its 
crop. These facts show it would be unwise for eastern 
growers to depend solely on early ripening varieties. 
Still, arrangements should be made for supplying the 
needs of the market by eastern growers. In deciding 
whether to grow any or how many, and what varie¬ 
ties of Fall apples, each individual must consider his 
environments and decide for himself. Generally red 
Fall apples are more desirable than yellow ones, the 
light-colored varieties can hardly be handled with 
enough care to prevent their showing bruises, and 
thus injuring their sale. It is worthy of consideration 
whether delicate colored apples like Maiden Blush, 
Primrose, Early Transparent, etc., in regions where 
they grow to perfection may not be handled so care¬ 
fully, wrapped in paper and packed in boxes so that 
they will reach the consumer in perfect condition, and 
bring such an increased price as well to repay the 
extra care and expense of preparing them for mar¬ 
ket. In the Hudson River Valley the most desirable 
early apples for market are the Astrachan, Graven- 
stein, Oldenburg and Wealthy. In every location 
experience or careful observation is needed in the 
selection of varieties of any kind of fruit, and in none 
more so than with apples. 
ABOUT WINTER APPLES.—Is it best for eastern 
growers to limit or restrict their growing of Winter 
apples? It has been demonstrated that certain desir¬ 
able varieties of Winter apples can be grown to 
greater perfection in the Eastern States than any¬ 
where else. The Baldwin, Greening, Snow and New¬ 
town are instances of most desirable varieties that 
THRASHING OFF ALMONDS IN CALIFORNIA. Fig. 15. 
are grown in certain favorable localities in the East 
to a perfection attainable nowhere else. With our 
nearness to market that enables the growers to take 
advantage of any rise in the prices, and the fact that 
cold storage on the farm is so cheap and efficient, I 
think the eastern fruit grower should continue grow¬ 
ing Winter apples. Every advantage should be taken’ 
of our environments. Varieties that do best should 
be selected, the greatest care taken in cultivation to 
grow the best possible quality, the crop handled with 
scrupulous care, and the markets watched closely. If 
all these are observed I see no reason for apple grow¬ 
ers in the East to retire from the business. 
Orange Co., N. Y. w. d. barns. 
NOTES ON CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWING. 
It may be interesting for R. N.-Y. readers to know 
that all kinds of California fruit that must be picked 
from the trees are first picked into tin picking pails, 
holding about 20 pounds of fruit. These pails have a 
hook attached to the bail by which they may be hung 
to the ladder or to some convenient branch of the 
tree. From the picking pail the fruit goes into “or¬ 
chard” or “picking” boxes that hold about 40 pounds. 
AN ORCHARD TRUCK IN CALIFORNIA. Fig. 16. 
These boxes are strongly made, and last for several 
years if properly used. They have cleats across the 
ends which allow ventilation when the boxes are 
stacked one above another. In picking apples, for in¬ 
stance, certain individuals who have judgment are 
detailed to sort the apples as fast as the pickers bring 
them in their pails, leaving the full pail and taking 
an empty one. Usually the apples are sorted into 
three lots. All sound apples, regardless of size, are 
put into boxes very carefully, the 'orders being em¬ 
phasized frequently to “handle them like eggs.” 
Wormy apples are put in other boxes for immediate 
sale or consumption. The poorest of the wormy 
apples and those that are bruised or specked go into 
still other boxes, and are used for drying, making 
cider, etc. As fast as filled the boxes are stacked in 
the shade, and as soon as convenient are hauled to 
drier or warehouse, where they are again stacked un¬ 
til used. The apples, as well as other fruit, are hauled 
from the orchard on low-wheeled trucks with springs 
under the platform. See Fig. 00. These trucks have 
tires six inches wide, and are used for all kinds of 
hauling on the ranch. 
The picture of the men knocking off almonds, Fig. 
15, shows how these nuts are harvested. The canvas 
under the tree is in four pieces, each 15 feet square. 
When the nuts are all knocked off the tree the sheets 
are gathered up from the edges and the contents, 
leaves, twigs and all are dumped into orchard boxes 
and hauled to the drier, where a number of girls 
shuck them by hand. It will be noticed that the feet 
of the step ladders are padded to prevent them from 
cutting holes in the canvas. It may be interesting to 
know that the “canvas” is made of drilling, of which 
large quantities are used in this valley on the large 
seed farms for thrashing out seeds. I was told at 
the store where I bought the drilling that a carload 
of that particular brand was ordered for the seed 
growers, and that most of it was in use. After the 
almonds are shucked they are spread on trays and 
dried; then they are dipped in water and run into the 
sulphur box a few minutes to bleach the shells, and 
then dried again, when they are ready to sack for 
market. We seldom eat almonds raw, as the skin that 
covers the nut is indigestible and sometimes causes 
serious trouble. By blanching them they are wholly 
digestible and a delicious food. The way we do it is 
first to soak the nuts in water until the skin be¬ 
comes loose, then slip off the skins, and while yet 
damp put in a pan with a light sprinkling of salt and 
put in the oven until they begin to brown slightly. 
Grease or oil of any kind destroys the flavor, and is 
inclined to make the nuts tough, instead of crisp and 
tender. We also find that the Languedoc and the 
Nonpareil are better for blanching than the larger 
paper-shell varieties. 
On December 16 we experienced the first frosts of 
Winter. Our Bellflowers, Jonathans and Fall Pippins 
are all gone, and we are beginning on the Newtown 
Pippins for cooking and White Winter Pearmains for 
eating from the hand, although the children have been 
taking the latter to school with their lunches for 
some time past. We had a few boxes of Spitzenburg 
this year, and although the flavor of this old apple 
is hard to beat, still it is not very satisfactory with 
us. The shrinking and wrinkling of the skin and 
decay at the core are serious faults. A few Arkansas 
Black, Delaware Red and Mammoth Blacktwig from 
our young trees are keeping well. We have tried 
some of them for sauce, but find them only fair in 
quality. However, the later keepers may prove to 
be better. The Newtown Pippin will doubtless still 
occupy the throne as king of California apples during 
the Winter and Spring months, and we are happy to 
have a good supply of them in our cellar, and no 
matter if they are worth $5 per box in London we 
shall still enjoy their luscious juiciness! I am mak¬ 
ing a list of new apples to add to my experimental 
orchard, and will continue to nope that some of them 
will prove to be as good as they are represented by 
the sellers of the trees. h. j. keesling. 
Santa Clara Co., Cal. 
CO-OPERATION THAT OPERATES. 
The farmers control the milk situation here. They 
own and operate a creamery; they also own a skim¬ 
ming station at Jackson, and one at Burnwood. The 
incorporation has a capital stock of $15,000, $12,000 
paid in. The stock is at a premium, and the patrons 
are entirely satisfied with the result. They make 
butter and dry curd, and sell cream. There have 
been four different firms from New York recently to 
buy milk; they have offered creamery patrons $1.60 
per 40-quart can for their milk for a time, but were 
not able to secure one quart. The milk shipping sta¬ 
tion is running here with a small patronage. They 
pay now $1.27 per can. The milk supply is rather 
short at present. The farmers here are not feeding 
very much grain, owing to its high price, and the 
comparatively low price for hay. Cornmeal is sell¬ 
ing in this market for $1.50 and other feed in propor¬ 
tion. One dealer brought in a car of beet pulp, sold 
it all out quickly for $4 per ton. He would have more 
trouble selling another car. The people think they 
have enough of that kind of feed at the price; it was 
very wet and heavy. Starrucca producers, four miles 
below here, have contracted their milk for one year 
at about $1 per can average. They also own a cream¬ 
ery. The milk is handled through their plant. In my 
opinion the farmers here are beginning to realize that 
there is something in cooperation; if it won’t bring 
the dealers to their milk there is nothing that will. 
It was quite a difficult matter to get our creamery 
going last Spring on account of the feeling among 
stockholders that it would be a failure, and that they 
would have to crawl back to the shipping station, but 
enough dared risk it, so that it was possible to start 
up, and the result has been that all are satisfied ex¬ 
cept the operators of the milk shipping station. The 
farmers have had several chances to sell their milk 
at a better figure than they ever expected, f. d. w. 
Thompson, Pa. 
