This site is devoted to enthusiasts of heirloom fruit culture. Here, we will re-publish old historic passages on this huge topic gleaned from antique books and periodicals (and anywhere else we can find them). Why are these old accounts so interesting? Well, this stuff was written by those who were growing heirloom fruit before the term “heirloom fruit” came to be. These are the practices of organic farmers before “organic farming” was a trendy marketing niche. This is the real stuff.
So, where to begin? Well, in 1835 a new publication was introduced from the northeast corner of New England: The Yankee Farmer. In the third issue, the editor presents a “very important subject” to his readers. That subject was fruit. And this is a great start to The Heirloom Orchardist:
Yankee Farmer
Cornish, Maine
Monday, February 2, 1835
Volume 1, No. 3
FRUIT
This is a very important subject, and one that deserves the particular attention of every farmer and gardener. The climate and soil of this part of the country, in general, is well adapted to raising a great variety of valuable fruits. He that attends to raising and preserving fruits, may furnish his table every day in the year with several pleasant wholesome dishes, prepared mostly from them; and there is no provision that can be raised with less expense, or that is more conducive to health; and as a luxury, what can be more delicious or innocent in its effects? He that has had the pleasure of tasting a fine bunch of Isabella or Catawba grapes, a delicious plum or peach, a melting pear, a rich crisp apple in the spring or former part of summer, and many other kinds of excellent fruit that may be raised here in abundance - he only … can judge of the value of good fruit; it is vain to attempt to describe it.
It is proper to consider the subject now and ascertain what kind of fruit will be most valuable, and this month is the best time of cutting scions; we have found by experience that scions cut in February or the first of March, are more likely to succeed than those that are cut at a later period or about the time they are set. They will generally succeed if they are cut any time in March or the first of April, if they are properly set in growing stocks. We shall give the best information that we have or can obtain as to the best kind of fruit, and in due season give directions for making cement, and the manner and time of engrafting, the comparative advantages of using cement and the clay, and the result of experiments as to different modes of engrafting. We would invite those that have paid attention to this subject to communicate their opinions and the result of their experience, firstly as to the best kind of apples and pears, as the attention of fruit growers would better be turned to that subject, and the scions selected in season. We send this paper to some gentlemen who are not subscribers, and we should be pleased to hear from them as we understand that they pay considerable attention to the subject.
And here at The Heirloom Orchardist, we invite your comments too. Please send this web address to some gentlemen (or gentle women) who pay considerable attention to heirloom fruit culture. We’d be very pleased to hear from them.
