6 
THE RED ASTRACHAN APPLE 
Rhode Island Greening 
Fruit Department 
APPLES 
Taking into consideration its adaptability to the many localities, productive- 
ness and commercial value, the apple takes the front rank among the popular 
and leading varieties of fruits. It is true that varieties of apples are variable 
as to locality but nevertheless a great many sorts adapt themselves to great 
extremes of soil and climatic conditions. In the hot interior valleys, apple cul¬ 
ture is of little consequence commercially, yet there are varieties that are suit¬ 
able for planting in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys for home use and 
the trees will bear and produce regular and abundant crops. The home of the 
apple, in California, is in the coast counties and in the ranges of the Sierra 
Nevada Mountains. In these localities are found large commercial orchards. 
The soil best adapted for this fruit is a deep, rich loam, which allows free¬ 
dom in root growth and in which there is no danger of excessive sub-irrigation 
and a standing high water level. Light, sandy soils should be avoided. Obser¬ 
vations prove that apples grown in the mountainous regions have better keep¬ 
ing qualities and are more highly colored and flavored than those grown in the 
interior valleys. 
In the descriptions of the varieties which follow will be found informa¬ 
tion giving the locality in which each variety attains its highest perfection. 
Apple trees should be planted from 25 to 35 feet apart in regular orchard 
form, and when planted should be cut back to 18 inches from the top of the 
ground, except when planted in the high altitudes where there is danger of 
the branches being broken by the snow settling, such trees should be headed 
at three feet from the ground. It is very important to have the soil in good, 
friable condition before planting. The same should be plowed twice and har¬ 
rowed thoroughly before setting the planting stakes. Early planting is advis¬ 
able, thereby insuring the trees the benefit of late rains settling the soil around 
the roots and in starting the trees to growing. 
Apple trees are subject to sun scald the first few years after planting, and 
we recommend to our customers to always use tree protectors on their stock. 
Thorough and systematic cultivation should be practiced during the summer 
months to conserve the moisture and cause the trees to produce their fibrous 
rootlets necessary for the establishment of the trees. 
Proper pruning of the trees the first year is a very important item. All 
shoots starting out from the body of the tree, except those that are to form 
the head of the tree, should be rubbed or cut off. The following winter the 
framework branches should be cut back one-half and thinned out so as to 
