TJie Nero Apples of Value for Market. 2 1 5 



Kentucky, is one of our most careful and experienced poraologists, 

 and his judgment upon the new varieties will be of value to apple 

 planters everywhere. I invite your attention to Mr. Samuels' pa- 

 per upon 



THE NEW APPLES OF VALUE FOR MARKET. 



BY WILLIAM >l. SAMUELS, OF KENTUCKY. 



I am requested, by your honorable Society, to tell what I know about new 

 apples of value for market. 



In naming them it is impossible to mention varieties adapted to all parts 

 of our vast country. While some varieties succeed in one locality or lati- 

 tude, they become entirely worthless in others. Some require the genial in- 

 fluence of the South to fully develop and ripen their fruits ; while the colder 

 North seems better adapted to others. Many varieties flourish on limestone 

 soils, while others are equally at home on clay or sandy lands. Some varie- 

 ties require to fully mature on the trees, others, as the Baldwin and Green- 

 ings, suffer little from the effects of premature picking. Fruits commonly 

 attain to perfection when permitted to fully mature on the trees. This is 

 notably the case with the orange. 



Unfortunatel}', however, many of our fruits must be gathered before ripe, 

 in order to reach market in good condition. An apple that is a favorite for 

 a near market may become worthless for a distant one. A variety that 

 would be pronounced first-class in every respect, except in color, by the hor- 

 ticulturist, might be entirely ignored by the average city buyer. There 

 seems to be little or no improvement in the public taste as time advances. 



It has been but a few year since the Ben Davis, with its brilliant colors and 

 large size, was sold in the South, while Northern dealers ridiculed a taste 

 that sought an apple of such inferior qualities. But it has gradually ad- 

 vanced in notoriety, until it has reached the front as the leading market va- 

 riety; and during the past season, when New York and other Eastern buy- 

 ers bought the fine fruit grown in Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois, the Ben 

 Davis became the favorite export apple. The London papers referred to it 

 as the favorite table fruit. 



The apple attains to a greater perfection in the United States than in any 

 ■other country. It is grown over a larger extent of territory than any other 

 fruit, and is the only fruit we have in its natural or fresh state the year round. 

 It is in more general use than any other fruit. It is utilized in many wa5's, 

 and is the great health-giving luxury, relished alike by all classes. 



From a commercial standpoint it rivals many of our important field crops. 

 While we are importing many varieties of fruits in common use, the apple 

 has become an important article of export. 



We find, however, that other fruits of less importance have attracted the 

 attention of our pomologists, who have made rapid strides in developing and 

 introducing new and valuable varieties. 



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