FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 155 



Milwaukee covets prunes, etc. It must be acknowledged that many 

 varieties which are not considered first-class and in some cases might 

 be called inferior, can be disposed of to good advantage in almost all 

 large general markets, because they are attractive to the eye on account 

 of their size and color. This will always be true to a greater or less 

 extent, still it is gratifying to realize that consumers are gradually cul- 

 tivating their tastes for the better varieties even though they may lack 

 slightly in size and may not be so attractive in color. While there will 

 always be a market for varieties that are not considered standard, the 

 market for the choicer varieties will surely increase and this is the 

 market that will always give the best returns. 



Varieties differ so largely in adaptability to different climatic and soil 

 conditions, that the grower must be exceedingly careful in his selection. 

 Some varieties can endure greater extremes of cold than othere, some 

 require special soils. There are a feAv varieties that do comparatively 

 well in almost all parts of the state, but most of the better varieties are 

 more or less sensitiv'e to their surroundings and it does not necessarily 

 follow that, because a variety does well in one jiart of the state it will 

 do equally well in others, even of the same latitude. 



Many varieties which are successful in the western Michigan fruit 

 belt, are absolute failures in other parts of the state. So the prospective 

 orchardist must make a careful investigation to determine what varieties 

 do best in his particular locality and conclude which of these will do 

 l>est on his particular site and soil. Failure to do this means failure 

 for the orchard. 



The conunercial orchardist should confine himself to a few varieties. 

 Experience has proven time and again that it is much easier to dispose 

 of the crop from an orchard if it has only a few varieties than if the 

 orchard has only a feAv trees of several varieties. Only in exceptional 

 cases, would it be wise to plant more than four or five varieties in a com- 

 mercial orchard and many times fewer would be better. The grower 

 can also make a more careful study of the special requirements of each 

 variety and be able to i^roduce them to better advantage. 



Some varieties have delicate skins and braise easily and hence are poor 

 shippers. If the fruit must be shipped long distances to market, such 

 varieties should not be included in a list for a commercial orchard. How- 

 ever, this will depend largely upon the care with which the fruit is 

 handled in harvesting and marketing. Varieties for cold storage uses 

 should be those which have good keeping qualities. 



