Appendix. 18 



o 



It is understood that the foregoing estimates simply represent an indi- 

 vidual opinion based on observation and with no claim for accuracy. 



What varieties to plant is the most troublesome question that perplexes 

 the brain of the applegrower. 



He should, however, have no trouble in deciding not to plant more than 

 a half dozen varieties, be his orchard ever so large, and those of well- 

 known local adaption and favorites in the markets. So far we have plain 

 sailing, but when he comes to select the four or five kinds he will plant, 

 then comes confusion and indecision. 



The nurseryman will offer him, at an extravagant price, some new 

 variety, the latest wonder in the pomological world; and if he bites, and 

 who of us have not bitten, in all probability in a few years he will be 

 hunting a man to topwork his trees with older varieties of greater merit. 



Let me be understood as favoring new and promising seedlings and 

 expect much from them, but believe it unwise to plant largely of them 

 until they have been well tested and have won their way to public favor. 

 Indeed I know of no more tempting field for the young horticulturist than 

 the breeding of new seedlings and the cross-breeding of varieties, a process 

 of which Luther Burbank is the greatest living exponent. 



Having decided to plant only a few varieties in our commercial orchards, 

 shall we select those which will bear early and annually a coarse fruit or 

 those which will give us a less quantity but of highest quality. 



I confess to having a little sentiment in my orcharding and will not 

 hereafter knowingly plant a tree that rates less than seven in a scale of 

 ten as to quality, except for pollination. Expressive of this conclusion I 

 beg leave to quote briefly from a paper prepared by Charles W. Garfield, 

 of Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the meeting of the American Pomological 

 Society, at Philadelphia, in 1899. The excerpt is as follows: 



"If I were to plant an orchard today, after choosing my location with 

 regard to climate and giving due consideration to soil and hardiness of 

 trees, I would make everything else subservient to taste. I would grow 

 varieties that would tickle the most sensitive palate and I would expend 

 my best thought and management to cultivating sensitiveness of taste 

 and awaken a desire for the most superb quality. 



"My immediate purpose would be the opening to their depths of the 

 fattest pocketbooks and I would cherish in my heart that conviction that 

 when my business should reach the historical stage it would be to me a 

 source of satisfaction and commendable pride." ^ 



I have before me a list of more than three hundred varieties of apples, 

 selected by G. W. Bracket, pomologist, Department of Agriculture, revised 

 by a committee of veteran pomologists of the American Pomological 

 Society and recommended for cultivation. 



I have copied from this list, thinking it may be of interest, the names 

 of those varieties that do not fall below eight as to quality in a scale of 

 ten. They are as follows, rating eight to nine: Benoni, Early Joe, Jeffris, 

 Northern Spy, Red Canada, Tompkins' King, Bethel, Fall Wine, Jonathan, 

 Pomme Gris, Roman Stem, White Pearmain, American Golden Russet, 



