We can give no satisfactory explanation to the question, unless it may be, in that the yearling plants complete their growth earlier in the fall, ripen up more perfectly, and hence go into winter with more vigor than do the older plants. Our yearling plants of the Philadelphia have always come out sounder in the spring than the older ones. The tips of both suffer some.

Remarks #1

We fully concur with our correspondent in the estimation he puts upon the English Morello. Those who have planted the Early Richmond, for market - as has been the case generally - mainly to the exclusion of the Morello, will find it a great oversight. Of the two, English Morello is the most fruitful and reliable for an annual crop, and what is of no small importance to the producer, bears a higher price in the market by fifty per cent. The fruit is larger, and though a little astringent, takes precedence for canning with those who know it best. It is in season after the Early Richmond is nearly, if not quite out of the market. We have not failed for the last three or four years past to realise an advance of forty to sixty Per cent. on the closing wholesale market price of the Richmond.

Remarks #2

Cracking is a fine apple, both for eating from the hand and for cooking. The tree has fruited well about here, though a little tender. We can give no better description than the following, from Downing:

Fruit fair, large, roundish, slightly flattened, inclining to conic, angular. Skin fair, fine yellow, with a slight tinge of red, thinly sprinkled with large green dots. Stem short, in a rather deep cavity. Calyx closed in a corrugated basin. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender, juicy, and excellent. October to January. The tree is a vigorous grower and very productive.

The Warfield, in size, is above medium, and in appearance resembles Maiden's Blush. In quality second to third rate. The tree is said to be a strong grower, hardy, and an early bearer.

Remarks #3

The man who would make an orchard with seedling trees in this enlightened age, must be a "slow coach." What assurance has he of a half dozen varieties, out of a thousand trees, of any value, or when they will show fruit of any kind? On the other hand, if known sorts of grafted trees be planted, it may be predicted with certainty what the fruit will be. and the future of its coming. As for acid, in all reason, has not Duchess, Oldenburgh, Jonathan, Red June, Porter, and many other sorts enough of it to suit the palate of the most fastidious.? If we had an old orchard going to decay, we would renovate it with trees from the nursery.

Remarks #4

Your soil and situation are indeed " peculiar.'1 Under a magnifying glass of ordinary capacity, the soil appears to be largely composed of minute particles of sharp sand, of all shades or hues. The soil, together with the constant presence of water so near its surface, is such that we will not venture an opinion upon its adaptability for fruit growing. We can only say that, were we planting an orchard upon such soil, in the first place the ground would be plowed, and the trees set upon the natural surface, and about thirty feet apart each way. Then make land, north and south, of the space occupied by each row of trees, by throwing the soil up to the tree in ridges about the trees, as represented in the cut, and some eighteen inches higher than the natural surface. In a soil so porous, we should also regard mulching of importance.

Remarks #5

We thank our correspondent for his very instructive observations. We might almost say they afford a key to certain success. For years we have urged upon tree planters the great importance of both mulching and deep planting in the windy, frosty country. We venture the assertion that at least seventy-five per cent, of all the apple trees in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, killed outright or materially injured, is due to neglect of these two important essentials to success - deep Planting And Mulching.