Winter Meeting. 183 



men — experts of overtrained taste — have pronounced ag-ainst it. But 

 it sells for the highest price in the spring. The world's judgment is 

 against them. But, they say, this is when all other apples have per- 

 ished. This statement, true only to the extent that this apple outlasts 

 all others, brings into prominence one of its chief merits — -namely, its 

 fitness to survive its rivals. Anything that entirely succeeds is unas- 

 sailable bv fact or logic." 



"Why so -much opposition to the Ben Davis ? It seems 

 silly continually to talk against our own interests. Europeans like the 

 Ben Davis apples ; they want them, and they pay for them. Why not 

 let them have them and hold our peace ? The tree is hardy and an 

 early and abundant bearer ; the apples are in demand at a good price, 

 and they reach their destination in good condition. If Europeans 

 want them, let us furnish them and consider ourselves fortunate that we 

 have a good market for something so easily produced. The claim that 

 the Ben Davis is not hardv is without foundation, for it stands the 

 climate of Maine equal to a native, and in a few years, will be the lead- 

 ing market apple in the state, if it is not already. Anything that finds 

 a ready market at a good price can hardly be called Avorthless." 



Of- course I would plant Ben Davis, but with it I would plant a 

 liberal per cent of Gano to give to the fruit the ap}>earance of higher 

 coloring. The habits of Gano, tree and fruit, are identical with Ben 

 Davis. Some say it is not quite so prolific as Ben Davis. We must 

 also plant some Jonathan, for in it we get both color and quality par 

 excellence. But when we are looking for barrels the Jonathan 2:en- 

 erally disappoints us. 



York Imperial has recently been given a good indorsement over a 

 wide territory in Bulletin jSTo. 8, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and 

 more recently by Mr. S. H. Linton from northwest Missouri, as being 

 an ideal apple for many localities. But no other apple seems so tender 

 or was seriously injured in northwest Missouri by the rigors of last 

 winter as York Imperial. In one orchard of 100 York Imperial, set 

 ten years, 91 trees were entirely killed. I can give other examples 



