STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



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regions than any other one thing. The Stayman Winesap apple 

 is of double interest in this connection because it is the result 

 of a definite, systematic efifort to produce improved varieties. 

 Its origination was not a chance accident. 



That the improving of varieties specially adapted to particular 

 regions is a practical conception and not merely a theoretical 

 possibility is being emphatically demonstrated at the present 

 time in the upper Mississippi Valley. In the early days, some 

 of the people who did pioneer work in fruit growing in northern 

 Iowa, proved to their own satisfaction that the varieties with 

 which they were familiar in the East could not withstand the 

 climatic conditions in their new home. The demonstration of 

 this fact cost them dearly. One or two of these early settlers 

 who had a clearer vision of the future than the others became 

 convinced that apple growing could be made a successful line of 

 industry if varieties could be obtained that would withstand 

 climatic conditions. In northern Iowa, southern Minnesota and 

 other territory in the upper Mississippi Valley, where the cli- 

 matic conditions are similar the difficulty is not so much a mat- 

 ter of low winter temperatures as it is one of a very dry atmos- 

 phere, which, together with low temperatures, makes conditions 

 which call for a tree of remarkable hardiness. 



For more than 40 years Mr. Charles G. Patten, of Charles 

 City, Iowa, in a most altruistic spirit, has been devoting a 

 great amount of time and energy to breeding fruit varieties 

 which would be especially adapted to the upper Mississippi Val- 

 ley. Naturally his earlier efforts were not as well directed and 

 his conceptions of what was needed were not as definitely for- 

 mulated as has been the case in later years, but the results of his 

 labors have already given several varieties of apples to that 

 section of the country which are of great value. The Patten 

 Greening, the Brilliant and the Eastman are examples; and 

 these resulted from his early efforts. Though now nearly 80 

 years of age, Mr. Patten is still continuing this work with 

 enthusiasm unabated and with his confidence in the possibilities 

 of effort directed along these lines constantly increasing. 



A recenl: visit to his experimental grounds which include 

 about 20 acres, in which there are under test probably 15,000 

 to 20,000 seedlings which represent the best selections of the 

 past 10 or 15 years' work, fully convinced me that it was only 



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