THE PE^^INSULA FARMERS' CLUB. 441 



his own fruit, put it up honestly, and take pains thus to earn a good reputa- 

 tion. He will then find purchasers. 



Mr. Parmelee. — Owing to the non-arrival of baskets which I had ordered for 

 my peaches last fall, I was obliged to put them up in other packages. The 

 consequence was that I did not receive much more than half what I should 

 have got for them. Michigan generally has a reputation for bad packing and 

 short measure. I believe that it originated rather in the ignorance than "cuss- 

 edness"' of the fruit-growers. 



WINTER APPLES. 



Old Missio>v, Dec. 29, 1873. 



The Club met at G^ p. m., Mr. Geo. L. Eoberts in the chair. 



Subject for discussion, '-What constitutes a perfect winter apple, and how 

 to obtain it ?'' 



Mr. Geo. Parmelee opened the discussion of the evening with the following 

 address : 



Mr. President axd Gentlemen: — Perfection, as applied to our winter 

 apples, means simply comparison with our highest known standard of excel- 

 lence. The points of excellence are quite numerous and are not all combined 

 in any one apple ; hence we may have many that come up to the standard on 

 some point, while all are below in some particular quality. This leaves us 

 without any apple that may be said to be perfect. To the Laplander, any 

 apple that would withstand the cold and produce fruit would be prized above 

 price. In countries where crab apples ©nly will thrive, they are of superlative 

 excellence ; and, going to a little milder climate, where a few of the hardier 

 apples will grow, those that survive best constitute the standard of excellence. 

 It is only in a climate capable of growing all apples that we find all the points 

 of quality to be appreciated. In such a climate, the apple country proper, men 

 are apt to estimate varieties in reference to some point which they especially 

 prize. A nurseryman favors a sort which grows j)erfectly. In a commercial 

 orchard, the sort that produces most, if reliable, is esteemed highest. To the 

 apple merchant, the one that brings the highest price is the perfect apple. To 

 the hotel keeper, the perfect dessert apple is small, to avoid waste. The man 

 who buys for his own table buys to suit his own taste; if he buys for the 

 kitchen, he wants the apple which suits the housekeeper's particular way of 

 cooking them. The drying factory requires the apple which is easiest pre- 

 pared and makes the largest quantity of dried fruit of good quality. Those who 

 esteem apples for dessert purposes prize most some peculiar flavor, and the 

 general public differ widely as to what is the best or perfect flavor. Most ap- 

 ples in the long list of varieties have some admirers, but in most cases the 

 preference is owing to a want of familiarity with many kinds, or to associations 

 connected with earlier days, or to scarcity of other sorts at the time of making 

 its acquaintance, to hunger, fatigue, or anything to make it particularly ac- 

 ceptable. While I believe in development, and expect a better apple than we 

 yet have, I do not expect to see all the excellencies combined in one sort. I 

 will name some of the points the perfect apple should have. It should grow 



