190 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



at it in earnest in the spring of 1872, and broke about seven 

 acres, which I set to Fameuse, Ben Davis, Yellow Bell Flower, 

 Golden Russet, Jonathan, Rawle's Janet, and many others, that 

 the winter following fixed in such a shape that I never had a 

 chance to know what they were. These trees came from Roches- 

 ter, New York. 



That winter convinced me, as well as others, that we needed 

 something hardier, so I began to look for information. I read and 

 reread the Transactions of 1870 and 1871. I found that in this 

 as in other pursuits, great minds differed. Mr. I. Gould of Beaver 

 Dam, recommended Crab roots for hardy trees, and Messrs. 

 IStickney and Plumb seemed to be very cautious about recom- 

 mending them. I had read Mr. Andrews' article on crabs written 

 in 1871, and as my faith in standards was somewhat shaken, to 

 use a vulgar expression, I was ready to catch onto anything. 

 When he said they were the best selling apple in Chicago; that 

 canned they were superior to peaches; that the Soulard was equal 

 in value to the Quince, that they could be raised cheaper than com- 

 mon apples, and that their cultivation promised immense blessings 

 which I'm fearful have resulted in cursings, especially when a 

 man after years of tender care tasted his first Soulard Crab, or 

 when after picking, purchasing barrels, packing and shipping to 

 Chicago, and after waiting days for returns, they were called on 

 as my friend Ringrose, of Milwaukee, was, for cash to pay freight; 

 and when he further said, that as a canning fruit there was mil- 

 lions in crabs, as millions one or more was what I was after, I 

 was just a subject to be misled, as many beginners are, notwith- 

 standing the fact that my friend Wilcox had written an article, 

 page 189, of 1872, where he said the crab apple is over-done, and 

 has become nauseous, and is unprofitable to grow. Though that 

 was written ten years ago, it is true to day. Mr. Tuttle also said 

 in 1872, that to grow crab apples for market would be unprofit- 

 able. I say, notwithstanding this testimony from experienced 

 men, I still followed the advice of Andrews and Felch, who said 

 he sold Siberians as high as four dollars per bushel and crabs in 

 Chicago at five dollars a barrel when winter apples sold for two 

 dollars and fifty cents. If you doubt this statement look at page 



