106 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VI' , A. 1908 



slender; basin medium depth and width, slightly wrinkled; caljrx closed; pale yel- 

 lowish green, well washed with deep red and splashed witii darker shades; dots 

 obscure; skin thick, tough; flesh white, tender^ breaking^ juicy; core small; sub- 

 acid, pleasant flavour; quality very good; season evidently early to late winter. 

 Said to be a seedling. Very similar to Shiawassee Beauty. 



PEAK. 



No. 393. Stead, A. H., Tapley's Mills, N.B. — Seedling from.— Below medium in 

 size, oblong, obovate, pyriform; cavity shallow ; stem long, stout; basin deep, medium 

 width, russeted; calyx partly open; yellow with an orange red blush on sunny side; 

 dots numerous, orange red, distinct; skin thin, tender; flesh yellowish, tender, buttery 

 but gritty about core, juicy; core small; sweet, good flavour, quality good; season 

 evidently mid October. 



Said to be a seedling of Bartlett and perfectly hardy and free from blight. Desir- 

 able in northern districts if hardier thtin Bartlett. Much like Bartlett in flavour, 

 but not so good in quality. Has a trace of astringency about flesh. 



APPLES OEIGINATED IN THE HORTICTJLTUPAL DEPARTMENT, CEN- 

 TRAL EXPERIJVIENTAL EARM, OTTAWA. 



Since the year 1897 seedling apples have been fruiting at the Central Experi- 

 mental Farm from seed sown there. The first seedlings which fruited were of Russian 

 origin, the seed having been imported from North of Riga in Russia. The seedlings 

 which were grown at Ottawa were planted out in 1890 to the number of 3,000. These 

 began to fruit in 1897. Most of the trees proved very hardy, but while the fruit of a 

 large proportion of the trees was as good as many of the named Russian apples which 

 were introduced into Canada, very few of them were considered superior. The 3,000 

 trees were gradually reduced to 75. These seventy-five varieties were retained so that 

 most of them might be tested in tlie prairie provinces on accoimt of their apparent 

 hardiness and good size, and 59 of fiiem have been considered sufficiently promising 

 to name. Only four of these compare favourably with the best named varieties of their 

 season here. There are a few others which may be found of sufficient value for the 

 •cast after a few more years test. 



In 1898 seed was saved of some of the best varieties of apples which fruited at 

 Ottawa that year, including St. Lawrence, Wealthy, Mcintosh, Shiawassee, Fameuse, 

 Swayzie, Scott's Winter, Winter St. Lawrence, Northern Spy, American Golden 

 Russet, and several others. The seedlings of these and others which were sown later 

 have been planted out at different times since 1901, until now, there are about 2^000 

 trees. The first tree to fruit was a Wealthy seedling now called Crusoe, which fruited 

 in 1903, two years after planting and five years from seed. This variety fruited again 

 in 1904, and it was not until 1905 that any other of the seedlings began to fruit. 

 Owing to its many good points as an early apple the Crusoe was named and described. 



In 1906 there were 105 seedlings fruited, of this lot of seedlings consisting of 47 

 Wealthy, 22 Swayzie, 6 Winter St. Lawrence, 6 Scott's Winter, 4 Salome, 4 Mcintosh, 

 2 Fameuse, 7 Lawver, 4 Gano, 2 Shiawassee, 1 Langford Beauty. Out of this 

 number, no less than 29 were considered sufficiently promising to propagate with 

 a view of having a supply of trees should the future behaviour of these 

 trees confirm the first fruiting. The large proportion of promising seedlings is 

 significant when compared with the small number from the Russian seedlings, but 

 in the latter case hardiness was the principal characteristic sought for, while in 

 the seedlings raised from seed of apples fruited at Ottawa, hardiness, season, appear- 

 ance, and quality were all taken into consideration. While the male parents of these 



