24 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



* 



Mistakes arising from want of experience on this point have been to 

 me a difference of thousands of dollars. Twenty-four years ago, at 

 considerable expense (trees were then 50 cents apiece), I set out my 

 first orchard of ten acres, a few miles from this point. Feeling my 

 way as best I could, I selected and planted thirty-two different sorts, 

 every one of which was a success somewhere. Twenty-five of the 

 thirty-two kinds were nearly complete failures — a disappointment and 

 a vexation. As soon as I ascertained fully my fatal mistake, I set out 

 another orchard of ten acres in 1873. As a result of careful reading 

 and a father extensive observation, I confined myself to five sorts in 

 this second experiment — Geniting, Winesap, Willow Twig, Ben Davis and 

 Jonathan — but erred seriously in the proportion. Ben Davis and 

 Jonathan were in quite the smallest percentage. This was another 

 rather costly mistake, and although this second experiment paid fairly 

 well, desiring to get nearer an ideal market orchard, in 1882 I set out 

 a third orchard of twelve acres. Costly experience had taught me 

 something by that time, so I planted it one-half to Ben Davis, the re- 

 mainder to Willow Twigs and Jonathan, with a slight sprinkling of Gen- 

 itings. It is now bearing and promises well. 



For market purposes alone, as a mere matter of dollars and cents, 

 the orcbardist in this locality would do well to confine himself to the 

 five following kinds : Ben Davis, Willow Twig, Jonathan, Maiden's 

 Blush and Bed Astrachan. lam satisfied, taking everything into account^ 

 that these five sorts stand at the head of the list. 



It is instructive to notice how the Ben Davis, as -a market apple 

 has advanced in public estimation. Twenty years ago it was barely 

 referred to. It has come its way in spite of the most pronounced oppo- 

 sition. It has been denounced and berated all along the line; "not fit 

 for hogs;" "no better than a squash;" "an apple that no gentleman of 

 self-respect would either plant or eat;" "it will soon be superseded ;" 

 "it is a great risk to plant any more," etc., have been the oft-repeated 

 expressions of men claiming the most advanced views. Xo variety 

 was ever put to such a test, and yet it stands undisturbed. It was 

 never so popular as to day. It is the great commercial apple of Mis- 

 souri. Fifty per cent of all the apples sold west and south are Ben 

 Davis. An apple to supplant the Ben Davis very soon is more to be 

 desired than expected. 



The Willow Twig in tbis locality is a very profitable market variety. 

 A section of country centering here is peculiarly adapted to this fruit — 

 somewhere about sixty miles east and west by thirty miles north and 

 south. Here it is a regular bearer of large, handsome apples. Many 



