APPLES 



WHAT AN OLD ORCHARDIST KNOWS ABOUT APPLES. 



AN ESSAY PREPARED AND READ BY MR. JEREMIAH BROWN, OF BATTLE 



CREEK, AT THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF THE MICHIGAN 



STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 1873. 



[The original was destroj'ed by fire which swept the Michigan Farmer in April, but at our 



request Mr. Brown has kindly re-written it.] 



Mr. Peesidext: — The valley of the Hudson Eiver. N. Y., has given ns a 

 great many of the choicest American apples; the soil and climate seem to be 

 peculiarly adapted to the perlecting of this valuable fruit. 



I propose now to give yon some of my experience obtained in the last 

 twenty-five years in testing a great variety of apples: 



When I first came to Michigan, I had a strong desire to try all that the best 

 authorities then considered really good, either for family use or market pur- 

 poses, — of course it did not take long to find out I had too great a variety for 

 profit. And now, were I to start again, I would be satisfied with less than 

 one-half the varieties I commenced with. 



I shall purposely omit to speak of a great many set down in the "books'' as 

 good, very good, and best, simply because they have not succeeded with me, 

 and that others are better calculated to supply our wants. 



I shall speak of the different varieties in the order in which they ripen, with 

 this exception, that the sweet Avill come in between the fall and winter 

 varieties. 



Prince's Early Harvest, the first to ripen, is indispensable for family use, 

 and also for the market; it is too well known to need any recommendation, - 

 it is, however, very liable to scab; the tree is hardy and productive. 



The Red Astrachan is the most profitable apple we grow ; it is a little too 

 tart to suit the taste of most persons, but it always commands the highest 

 price in market, and for many culinary purposes it is indispensable. 



T/ie Early Joe is too small for a market apple, and when grafted on the 

 stock that suits it, and grown in the right soil (a poor gravelly loam), then it 

 is the best apple I have ever eaten in Michigan. 



This, I am aware, is higher praise than either Downing, Dr. Warder, or J. J. 

 Thomas have given it, but I claim that neither of these high authorities have 

 ever seen it in perfection ; out of six trees on my grounds, only one produces 

 fruit worthy so high commendation. All the other trees grow in soil better 

 suited to the apple ; they produce larger and handsomer fruit but much inferior 

 in quality. 



Let me remark here that I have two Sweet Bough trees standing within 16 



