FORTY FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 17 



quite as well colored. Wliile of little vulnc in (lie southern part of the 

 State on account of its season, I believe that it would be a good variety 

 in the north where it would be an early winter variety and where hardi- 

 ness is desired. 



Fameuse Eucre or sweet snow is a very rich, handsome, medium sized 

 apple of a dark glossy red color. It belongs to the Snow family and 

 has the characteristic white flesh of the Snow. The contrast between 

 the dark glossy skin and the white flesh is beautiful Avhen the apple is 

 bitten into. The flavor is an excellent sweet, Snow flavor and is better 

 than the Snow. It bears about as well as the Snow and is about the 

 same size. It is not as good a keeper but in cold storage it will keep 

 well through the winter. I know of no apple that would make as good 

 an Xnuis apple as this variety. 



While Mother is not exactly a new variety I think it is one that should 

 receive more attention than it does. In these days when there is a de- 

 mand for high class dessert apples we should encourage the planting of 

 such kinds. The Mother is one of these kinds and therefore this special 

 mention. The fruit is large, of good red color and fine flavor. The apple 

 is built a little on the Uellttower plan. The flavor is flue. It ripens in 

 September and will keep until March in storage. The tree is a mod- 

 erate grower and a good bearer. It is like the King in tenderness and 

 cankering and should be worked on some hardy stock such as the Spy 

 to do the best. 



I am a great friend of the Winter Banana as a variety for Michigan. 

 We have thought of it as oul}' a variety suitable for the west, probably 

 because it was a fancy variety, one suitable for boxing only. There 

 are many people who think that Michigan should confine itself to what 

 they call the distinctive Michigan package, the barrel. They seem to 

 think that we should not try fancy box packing, as if our fruit was not 

 good enough and we were not capable to leam to pack boxes. I dis- 

 agree right at the start with any such thought. As long as we can grow 

 fancy box varieties as good as the west, which I know we can, why 

 should we not pack them in boxes? The packing in boxes or barrels 

 should not be determined by districts but rather by varieties and per- 

 fection of fruit. It would not be policy to pack Greenings, Baldwins, 

 Ben Davis, etc., in boxes, even if perfect. The increasing demand for 

 fruit to eat out of hand has probably been due to the more extensive 

 setting of dessert varieties and more perfect fruit. In the past so many 

 of the old standard varieties were not sufficiently enticing in flavor for 

 eating or if they were the apples were not presentable because a big 

 share of the apple would have to be cut away on account of scab and 

 worms. The remainder was hidden under a pie crust. We are getting 

 the King apple so now that we need not be afraid to take him out from 

 under cover and are proud to put him on the table clothed in nothing 

 but his natural skin. 



Another reason the Winter Banana has not been advised in this State 

 is because we did not know of the use of lime-sulphur as a summer 

 fungicide until a few years ago. It is a variety that needs lime-sulphur 

 to bring it to its best. There is much difference in the color and bright- 

 ness of the fruit since using it. Now in color and size we can equal 

 the west and surpass them in flavor. The western people complain of 

 the Banana's tendency to bruise easily. When the variety is picked here 

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