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Page 8
All the fruits may be set out both in the spring and the fall
seasons; but in our latitude and northward, I should prefer early
spring for strawberries and peaches.
By this time we may suppose that the owner of the acre has matured
his plans, and marked out the spaces designed for the lawn,
garden, fruit trees, vines, etc. Fruit trees, like shade trees,
are not the growth of a summer. Therefore there is natural
eagerness to have them in the ground as soon as possible, and they
can usually be ordered from the same nursery, and at the same time
with the ornamental stock. I shall speak first of apples, pears,
and cherries, and I have been at some pains to secure the opinions
of eminent horticulturists as to the best selections of these
fruits for the home table, not for market. When there is a
surplus, however, there will be no difficulty in disposing of the
fine varieties named.
The Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, the veteran President of the American
Pomological Society, writes as follows: "Herewith is the selection
I have made for family use; but I could put in as many more in
some of the classes which are just as desirable, or nearly so.
These have been made with reference to covering the seasons.
Apples--Red Astrakhan, Porter, Gravenstein, Rhode Island Greening,
Baldwin, Roxbury Russet, and Sweet Bough for baking. Pears--
Clapp's Favorite (to be gathered August 20), Bartlett, Seckel,
Sheldon, Beurre Bosc, Buerre d'Anjou, and Vicar of Winkfield for
baking, etc. Cherries--Black Eagle, Black Tartarian, Downer,
Windsor, Cumberland, and Red Jacket."
Mr. Wilder's honored name, like that of the late Charles Downing,
is inseparably linked with American fruits, and the country owes
these two men a debt of gratitude which never can be paid for
their lifelong and intelligent efforts to guide the people wisely
in the choice and culture of the very best varieties. A moment's
thought will convince the reader that I am not giving too much
space to this matter of selection. We are now dealing with
questions which wide and varied experience can best answer. Men
who give their lives to the cultivation and observation of fruits
in all their myriad varieties acquire a knowledge which is almost
invaluable. We cannot afford to put out trees, to give them good
culture, and wait for years, only to learn that all our care has
been bestowed on inferior or second-rate varieties. Life is too
brief. We all feel that the best is good enough for us; and the
best usually costs no more in money or time than do less desirable
varieties. Therefore I seek to give on this important question of
choice the opinions of some of the highest authorities in the
land.
Mr. A. S. Fuller is not only a well-known horticultural author,
but has also had the widest experience in the culture and
observation of fruit. He prefaces his opinion with the following
words: "How much and how often we horticulturists have been
puzzled with questions like yours! If we made no progress, were
always of the same mind, and if seasons never changed, then
perhaps there would be little difficulty in deciding which of the
varieties of the different kinds of fruit were really the best.
But seasons, our tastes, and even the varieties sometimes change;
and our preferences and opinions must vary accordingly. Apples--
Early Harvest, Fall Pippins, Spitzenburgh, Rhode Island Greening,
Autumn Sweet Bough, and Talman's Sweet. Cherries--Early Purple
Guigne, Bigarreau of Mezel, Black Eagle, Coe's Transparent,
Governor Wood, and Belle Magnifique."
The choice of Mr. E. S. Carmen, editor of the "Rural New Yorker:"
"Apples--Early Harvest, Gravenstein, Jefferis, Baldwin, Mother,
Spitzenburgh. Pears--Seckel, Tyson, Clapp's Favorite, Bartlett,
Beurre d'Anjou, and Dana's Hovey. Cherries--Black Tartarian, Coe's
Transparent, Governor Wood, Mezel, Napoleon Bigarreau."
The authorities appear to differ. And so they would in regard to
any locality; but it should be remembered that President Wilder
advises for the latitude of Massachusetts, Messrs. Fuller and
Carmen for that of New Jersey. I will give now the selection of
the eminent horticulturist Mr. P. O. Berckmans for the latitude of
Georgia: "Cherries (this is not a good cherry-producing region,
but I name the following as the best in order of merit)--Buttners,
Governor Wood, Belle de Choisy, Early Richmond, and May Duke.
Pears (in order of maturity)--Clapp's Favorite, Seckel, Duchesse,
Beurre Superfine, Leconte, Winter Nellis, or Glout. Morceau.
Apples--Early Harvest, Red June, Carter's Blue, Stevenson's
Winter, Shockley, Buncombe, Carolina Greening."
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