EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 255 



The character of the soil has so much to do that no one can recommend 

 a list that will apply in all sections of a township even, but there are many 

 well-known kinds that are generally grown with success and it will be 

 better to plant them than to rely too much upon the advice of the average 

 tree agent or the nursery catalogue. 



A different selection should be made for home use from what would be 

 planted for market, as in the former case it is desirable that the selection 

 should be such as will give a succession throughout the season. There 

 should be varieties adapted both for dessert and cooking purposes, and 

 sweet apples for the different seasons. While the hardiness and the pro- 

 ductiveness of the varieties should be considered, care should be taken ' 

 that the list contains dessert varieties of high quality for the different por- 

 tions of the year. 



As a list for family use the following would be desirable: Red Astrachan, 

 Bough (Sweet), Oldenburgh, Primate, Chenango, Keswick, Maiden Blush, 

 Shiawassee, Twenty Ounce, Bailey (Sweet), Westfield, Jonathan, Hub- 

 bardston. Grimes, Baldwin, Talman, King, R. I. Greening, Red Canada, 

 Northern Spy, and Golden Russet. While in some sections it might be 

 well to leave out a part of these kinds and substitute others, the list will 

 be found as a rule to answer as well as any that can be made. 



When designed for commercial purposes other things should be con- 

 sidered. Among the requirements for a commercial variety, in addition to 

 the vigor and productiveness of the tree, may be mentioned the size and 

 color of the fruit. It should be a good keeper and should ship well. In 

 securing these qualities the flavor of the fruit should not be lost sight of. 

 While in the past the size and color have sufficed to sell fruit that was 

 inferior in quality, the public are each year becoming more and more 

 fastidious, particularly regarding their dessert fruit, so that although a 

 fruit poor in quality may be sold to a man once, he is less likely to buy 

 the same kind a second time. Moreover, the apples of high quality will 

 sell for a higher price and more readily than others of the same size 

 and color but of an inferior quality. 



As a rule the list for commercial planting should be a short one and for 

 the most part it should consist of winter varieties. 



For local markets a few summer sorts may be grown, and there are a few 

 of the late autumn kinds that are worthy of growing upon a large scale, and 

 among them are the King and Shiawassee, or Snow where the latter suc- 

 ceeds well. 



The list given for a family orchard contains the cream of the varieties, 

 and almost any of the summer or autumn sorts may be grown with profit 

 for sale upon a small scale; but to follow the King it would be well to 

 select not over two or three of the following kinds: Northern Spy, Bald- 

 win, Red Canada, Hubbardston, Jonathan, Wagener, and Westfield. The 

 Northern Spy is as reliable as any of them, but the trees are a long time 

 in coming into bearing; Wagener and Jonathan are particularly valuable 

 in some sections but they require extra care, as otherwise the trees are 

 likely to produce small, inferior fruit from their tendency to overbear. 

 The Baldwin in high, well-drained locations is generally successful but is 

 often injured by severe winters upon low land. The Red Canada is a 

 poor orchard tree when root-grafted, but grafted standard high upon a 

 strong stock it is very popular in many sections of the state. 



