The Hybrid Siberian Apples of America. 183 



ment (before the appearance of many Russians and the Wealthy), the grow- 

 ers, ahnost perforce, fell back upon the crabs, and large collections of seed- 

 lings of that class were made, particularly by the late Dr. Jewell, of Lake 

 City. Among these were many meritorious sorts, superior in size, keeping 

 and edible quality to such as were previously known. A considerable col- 

 lection of improved seedling crabs was also made about the same time in 

 Lower Canada, Northern Vermont and Northern New York. Illinois also 

 contributed the Marengo crab, and from the Hudson river a single variety, 

 the Van Wyck Sweet, appeared. From the.se lists a number of sorts have 

 been accepted as of general or local value. 



The Van Wyck is not strictly "iron-clad," but is large, handsome, and of 

 very good quality, and the tree thrifty and productive. Beach's Sweet of 

 Minnesota is nearly its equal, with a hardier tree. Meader's Winter is a 

 fine crab for eating, canning and cider, the tree hardy, healthy and produc- 

 tive. Maiden's Blush, Quaker Beauty and Orange, of the Minnesota list, are 

 good crabs, while Minnesota, largest of all, lacks only in productiveness. I 

 do not hear that anywhere the Marengo crabs have sustained the claims made 

 for them. With me only one of them. Lady Elgin, has proved valuable, but 

 this is a very fine crab. From Northern New York Bailey's Crimson crab, 

 stated to be a hybrid between Fameuse and a Siberian, is of the highest 

 beaut}^ and merit, but spots in some localities, like its maternal parent. 



More recently Mr. Gideon, of Minnesota, has produced a line of crabs with 

 fine characteristics of tree and fruit. From these I have selected Martha as 

 the most desirable, being for all purposes of the first class, with the fruit 

 large, highly colored and free from blemish, the tree strong and thrifty, free 

 from blight and lavishly productive. 



Whitney's No. 20, an Illinois crab, has gained and is gaining an immense 

 popularity, combining all good qualities with larger size than most if not all 

 the preceding. It does well in Vermont, and I hear no complant of it any- 

 where. Wisconsin has given us a fine list of hybrids, among which, judging 

 from the show made of them at the last exhibition of the Montreal Horti- 

 cultural Society, Mr. PefTer's Gibb must take a very high position for size, 

 beauty and quality, while the tree seems to be among the best. 



In Vermont one of our earlier productions among the hybrids is Pringle's 

 Sweet. This variety, though not so good for eating as Van Wyck or Beach's 

 Sweets, on account of a slight bitterness until '' dead " ripe, is for size, beauty, 

 productiveness and vigor of tree, the equal of either, and quite iron-clad. 

 Baking destroys the objectionable defect in its flavor, and no apple is more 

 desirable for cider making. 



.But undoubtedly Vermont's greatest success in this line has been Cady's 

 Crab, or the Northfield Beauty. This rises to the dignity of »an "apple," 

 running in size considerably larger than Fameuse. The tree is productive, 

 a vigorous and handsome grower, and though grown from a seed of the 

 small yellow Siberian (supposed to be crossed by Hubbardston Nonesuch), 

 has not much of the crab appearance. But the fruit, though so large, is an 



