40 
HOUSE & GARDEN 
Baldwin apples, with Wagners for fillers, were set out in the fourth 
orchard, where the whole surface of the ground was well cultivated 
COUNTING THE COST OF FARMING—IV 
The Beginning of the Four Orchards—How the Soil Was Prepared and the Young Trees Set Out— 
The Problems of Labor and Cost 
FLORA LEWIS MARBLE 
B EFORE we decided what varieties 
of trees to plant we consulted 
Bulletin No. 113, issued by the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture, which 
gives a good general list of apples that 
will thrive in various localities. For 
more specific information about our 
own State we read Bulletin No. 106 
from the Pennsylvania State College 
on the Apple in Pennsylvania, and 
the Orchard Primer by Prof. H. A. 
Surface, economic zoologist for the 
State. This last valuable little book is 
published and largely distributed by 
the Pennsylvania Railroad. Then we 
consulted the list of reliable nursery¬ 
men that is compiled by the State every 
year. These men guarantee their stock 
to be true to name and free from pests. 
Their nurseries are inspected by the 
State from time to time. We corre¬ 
sponded with several of them who 
were nearest to us, wanting to buy 
from a nearby point if possible, as 
there is less risk of root drying then 
than if the trees have to undergo a 
long journey. 
The slope of our land is so good 
that all of the hillsides selected for 
orchards have plenty of sun, so we 
decided to grow only red apples, as 
they stand a better chance for good 
market prices than the green varieties. 
In the first, second and third orchards 
we planted the Northern Spy for the 
permanent trees, and in the fourth we 
set Baldwins. 
Digging the potatoes was one of the early autumn 
tasks that occupied the time of men and horses 
Many small fruit growers around 
the country, and some reliable nursery¬ 
men, advised the use of peaches for 
fillers, but we did not want to grow 
peaches as they are so perishable a crop. 
Others suggested dwarf pears for fill¬ 
ers, but it seemed to us that two fruits 
growing side by side must double the 
cost of spraying, because they would 
demand different sprays at different 
times. 
We finally decided to choose some 
quick bearing apples as fillers, and 
bought the Wealthy to plant with the 
Spys, and the Wagner for fillers be¬ 
tween the Baldwin trees. The Wealthy 
is described as being of vigorous 
growth, very hardy, and a prolific bien¬ 
nial bearer. Fruit medium in size, 
bright red and very attractive. Quality 
medium either for cooking or dessert. 
The Wagner is a poor growing, dwarf¬ 
ish tree, recommended for fillers. The 
fruit is medium in size, red and attrac¬ 
tive, of excellent quality when well 
grown. These trees were set every 20' 
between the permanent trees. They 
will come into bearing about the same 
time as a peach tree should. One man 
assures us that the Wealthy should 
come into bearing eight years before 
the Spys, and the Wagners six years 
before the Baldwins. These trees will 
ensure a return from the orchards be¬ 
fore the slow-growing permanent trees 
mature. Both the Wealthy and Wag¬ 
ner are fall bearing. For the few years 
