Cape Breton's Magazine

The really late storage types will keep in an unheated cellar well into early summer, These claim no outstanding merit but their longevity. The stippled and striped Ben Davis, its dark-red seedling Gano, and the sturdy Stark share the thankless task of filling the 'hungry gap' of early summer. When these are gone, b?)ttled sauce must suffice until August comes s'ain. And so, by heedful choice, prudent Cape Breton farmers who planted these trees pro? vided themselves not only with fresh fruit for ten months of the year • no small achievement in our fickle climate • but with fruit of choicest quality in an almost infinite variety of subtle and delicious flavours. Planning a Small Family Orchard If I could plant only three trees I should start with a Yellow Transparent, a Red June and a Wealthy. The Yellow Transparent would yeild early fruit for eating, pies and applesauce. Red June can be used through fall and early winter for cooking, yet if family needs are not large will store safely until April. Wealthy can be stored for later on; it is a better quality apple than Ben Davis* and if it does not keep quite so long, there will be bottled Yellow Transparents to tide over. Though only the most basic framework of an orchard, these three trees together should give a fairly long fruiting season. Perhaps in another year I should add a Gravenstein, which for all its perfections rules itself out of the three-tree j orchard, its triploid pollen being useless as a pollinator J for other varieties. Gravenstein ripens between Yellow Transparent and Red June. At the same time a Red Astrachan f or Duchess might be planted as a second-early to back up Yellow Transparent as an applesauce apple. Then to balance these fall apples I'd try to put in another good steady winter apple such as Boiken, Northern Spy or Thompkins Kii'. Now the seasonal gaps are pretty well closed and one may turn to favourites. For myself, I should start with Ribston Pippin (another triploid) and Golden Russet to achieve a safer balance of three early and five winter apples. At this point, one may expand as space and inclination dictate. In the photograph. Mrs, du Bois is grafting scion wood. An excellent pamphlet is available from Canada Dept. of Agriculture. Publication 1289. Fruit Tree Propagation. St. Ann's Motel 2:' O "' • syoNQ Restaurant -:-:' ' General Store & Camping Supplies L Hwy. 05 GAELIC coLLeae X Visit Our Marine Aquarium Displaying Our Native Fish CAPE BRETON'S MAGAZINE/15