74 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



such noticeable differences in the varieties as have been referred 

 to, the chances are even, at least, that they are due directly to 

 the conditions or to differences in the conditions under which 

 they are grown. 



The experience of apple growers in some of the well known 

 apple districts in taking advantage of the special manifesta- 

 tions of varietal adaptability should be suggestive in this con- 

 iiection. 



In the Grand Valley of Colorado, they planted pretty nearly 

 everything in the earlier days in the way of apple varieties, as 

 has been the case in many fruit regions during the pioneering 

 period. But, as time has gone on, and the growers in the Grand 

 Valley have become wise, they have gradually eliminated the 

 undesirable sorts until now the orchards consist largely of four 

 varieties which have proved to be of special value under the 

 conditions in that valley. While many trees comprising numer- 

 ous different sorts still exist, they are gradually being top- 

 worked to one or another of the four leading varieties. In fact, 

 I have never been in a district where so many trees, relatively 

 speaking, have been top-worked as is the case in the Grand 

 Valley. 



Another example is the Hood River Valley in Oregon, where 

 two varieties, the Yellow Newtown and the Esopus comprise a 

 very large proportion of all the apple trees in the entire dis- 

 trict. This is due to no other reason than the high degree of 

 perfection to which these varieties develop and their satisfac- 

 tory bearing proclivities under the Hood River Valley condi- 

 tions. It is worth while to note the fact that both of these 

 varieties are very restricted in their distribution and are not to 

 be recommended for planting generally because of the idiosyn- 

 crasies with regard to their adaptation to conditions. But these 

 two sorts have made Hood River famous. In fact if it were 

 •not for the Esopus and the Yellow Newtown apples, I doubt 

 if anybody in this audience would know there is such a town 

 on the map as Hood River, and I venture to submit that all 

 this was because somebody in an earlier day was keen enough 

 and observing enough, and far-sighted enough to appreciate the 

 value of these varieties in the apple industry of that region and 

 to lead the way in the planting of them. 



