^sew Yokk Agricultural Experiment Station. :)i 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE. 



Apples, old and new. — In Bulletin No. 361 an attempt is made to 

 answer the oft-repeated question, "What apples shall I plant?" 

 The introduction of new varieties and the uncertainty as to old 

 ones make it necessary for some one to grow varieties of apples 

 on probation in fruit-growing regions. To test varieties of fruits 

 is a money-taking, time-consuming task, which requires not only 

 the good judgment of an expert fruit-grower but wide and thorough 

 knowledge of varieties. Manifestly, it is work for an experiment 

 station and not for an individual. The New York Station attempts 

 to test every variety of fruit obtainable that will thrive in this 

 climate. Bulletin No. 361 is one of several publications from 

 this Station giving results of tests of old and new apples. Eight 

 hundred and four varieties of apples are listed with the statement 

 of their origin, age at which they come into bearing on the Station 

 grounds and description as to form, size, color, flavor, quality, use 

 and season. The State is divided into nine pomological regions and 

 a list of varieties given for each. This list is founded upon the 

 behavior of the varieties in each region as to size, color, keeping 

 quality and flavor of fruit; and as to longevity, vigor, health and 

 productiveness of trees. 



Studying these eight hundred and four varieties has thrown light 

 on several phases of apple-growing and these are discussed under the 

 following heads, — First, Groups of apples. — Varieties of apples are 

 classified into groups in accordance with their blood relationships. 

 These groups are of importance because each has marked adaptations 

 to particular conditions and the grouping is a real help many times 

 as a guide to apple-growers in seeking what to plant. 



Second, Strains of apples. — As dividing apples into groups of 

 varieties, helps in determining adaptation and, therefore, what to 

 plant; so, the division of varieties into strains may be helpful if 

 the strains are real and not fanciful. Strains arise through bud 

 variations, long known to fruit-growers as sports, but recently 

 dignified by De Vries as mutations. Strains so arising, in apples, 

 in particular, usually differ from the parent varieties in one or at 

 most of but a few characters. 



Third, Degeneration of apples. — It is held that from all evidence 

 to be had the fruit-grower is as safe in assuming that for practical 



