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THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
THE TREND OF APPLE GROWING IN NEW YORK 
By John Craig 
It is very probable that more apple orchards have been 
planted in Western New York since 1906 than were planted 
during any other decade since the noted era of commercial 
planting which occurred in the Lake Region some forty or 
fifty years ago. During that time when the commercial 
orchards, now turning out the thousands of barrels compris¬ 
ing the great bulk of Western New York production, were 
planted they were fortunately confined to a comparatively 
small number of varieties. Two varieties composed the 
bulk of the kinds which were set. These varieties were 
Baldwin and Greening. Others relatively popular and fol¬ 
lowing somewhat in order of popularity were: Spy, King, 
Russet, Twenty Ounce and Spitzenberg, and a strong 
sprinkling of a dozen or more additional kinds. 
In the revival of interest in orcharding several notable 
changes in system of planting, system of management, and 
the varieties planted, are apparent. 
1. The filler, or double planting system, has come into 
vogue and represents a new ideal making for more intensive 
culture. As is well known, the permanent trees are planted 
forty to forty-five feet apart and fillers interplanted in the 
proportion of two to one of the permanent trees. Of course 
there are many modifications of this plan, based upon per¬ 
sonal views of the planter and character of stock set out. 
The underlying principle is to use the fillers as a means of 
hastening the revenue bearing period of the orchard and 
paying in a fuller manner for the cost of producing the trees 
during the early unproductive period of the orchard. This 
is undoubtedly a good system and is successful in so far as 
the manager carries out his original scheme. It requires 
business ability and considerable determination. 
2. In managing the orchard, and under this head the 
questions of soil tillage, tree pruning and tree spraying, are 
to be considered, the practice of the present day, up-to-date 
orchardist does not countenance the cropping of the orchard 
with such crops as hay or grain, but appreciates the principle 
that the orchard trees are in themselves a sufficient crop 
into the soil. Culture may be given in various ways, by 
mulching the soil—as a rule an expensive way—by tilling it 
clean during the fore part of the season, or a type of culture 
can be given by growing sod in the orchard and maintaining 
a sward rather than a meadow. Feeding can be done 
through the sod, or in the clean tillage method by green 
manuring through cover crops with the addition of commer¬ 
cial or stable fertilizers. The main point is that the grower 
realizes the necessity of handling the orchard as a crop in 
itself. It has been difficult for the Eastern grower to break 
away from the old-fashioned traditions which have clustered 
around the homestead orchard, long uncared for, to the new 
practice of tilling, feeding and caring for the fruit tree as a 
definite and specific farm crop. 
3. As change has occurred in the matter of systems of 
planting and systems of orchard management, so changes 
have also taken place in reference to the varieties set out. 
Among the many mistakes of the past, and mistakes which 
are in some sections being repeated at the present time, was 
that of planting too many varieties. The noted orchards of 
the country at the present time are those in which the num¬ 
ber of varieties has been cut down to a minimum. Large 
changes have occurred in recent times. It is not a question 
of fashion but a question of economics. Returns are 
demanded in the shortest possible time. In order to secure 
these, early maturing varieties are essential, for it is gener¬ 
ally known that such types are relatively precocious. It 
follows then that the winter kinds are those which are set in 
to occupy the ground permanently and that the earlier kinds 
are those set for quick production and temporary possession. 
I have been wondering whether we have been over¬ 
planting such varieties as Duchess, Wealthy and Alexander. 
Their prolificacy has increased their popularity, but certain 
weak points have perhaps been overlooked. They are all 
cold storage varieties. Is it not possible that we shall have 
too many autumn varieties when these extensive plantings 
come into bearing? I am inclined to think that such will be 
the case with Duchess and Alexander. They are both low 
in quality, though handsome in appearance. Alexander, 
too, in its susceptibility to blight, introduces a new danger. 
Other varieties which have in my judgment received too 
much attention in Western New York in recent years are 
Rome Beauty and York Imperial. I am doubtful regard¬ 
ing the ultimate success of these two apples for the reason 
that they come from a region in which the summer heat is 
greater than that of the Lake Region of New York. I am 
inclined to think they are out of their latitude. I believe 
that McIntosh is a much safer variety to plant. It is of the 
highest quality, a comparatively early bearer, approximates 
annual bearing in its habits, is handsome and hardy. It 
can be used either as a filler or as a permanent tree. In 
addition to this I would use King and Spitzenberg. The 
quality of these two varieties as grown in Western New 
York is unsurpassed in the United States. 
Then, of course, we should not overlook our standard 
Baldwin and Greening. In propagating these more atten¬ 
tion should be given to the propagation of select types. Any 
person of experience knows that there are certain well 
defined types of these, differing in form, coloring, and to 
some extent in quality. The perpetuation of the most 
desirable types is an exceedingly important line of work, 
either scientifically or commercially. In the northern 
part of the state where Spy takes on such magnificent size 
and beautiful coloring we can afford to wait for this fine 
variety to come into bearing; in other words, we can afford 
to plant it. In my judgment the Eastern planter must 
bank on quality, cutting down on number of varieties and 
concentrating on better methods of intensive tillage, and 
above all practicing the most approved methods of handling 
with reference to a uniform honest grade and an attrac¬ 
tive package. 
