ANNUAL MEETING AT LEXINGTON. 165 



THE ]\IOST DESIRABLE APPLES. 



BY P. M. KIELY, OF ST. LOUIS. 



Presumming it would interest the members of the ^Missouri State 

 Horticultural Society to know what varieties of apples were most 

 sought for during 188G, I have made a few notes during the selling sea- 

 son to enable me to present the facts as concisely as possible. 



The Early Harvest, the first apple of the season, tinds little favor 

 with the public and has nothing to recommend it except earliness, and 

 it is generally neglected if other varieties are in sight. Occasionally, 

 however, it is alone in the market and then finds its way into the hands 

 of the consumer. I pass over the other varieties until the advent of 

 the Early June or'Red June, which is a prime favorite with the general 

 trade. The local and order trade take hold of it freely and its showy 

 appearance on the fruit stands attracts purchasers. 



■ After this there is really no variety which receives much notice 

 until the arrival of the Maiden's Blush, which I find in most of the 

 catalogues among the fall varieties, but in this market a regular sum- 

 mer apple and its season is about over when the regular fall apples ap- 

 pear. 



The Maiden's Blush is purchased by all class of buyers. The 

 shippers like it, and many of them do little in the way of shipping be- 

 fore it is offered. Its handsome appearance, as in the case of Red 

 June, being the great attraction, and during the month of its existence 

 in the market here, has a better sale than any other variety. At this 

 time several varieties of sweet api^les appear, but all the sweet sorts 

 have a very limited sale. The shipping, or order trade — the very best 

 we have — will not touch them at any price, they being too perishable 

 for their purposes. The local demand for them is exceedingly small 

 and hence I urge the cultivation of but few of them, as the market is 

 easily glutted. 



The Rambo, which soon follows, about the first of the fall varie- 

 ties, is recognized by everybody, and has a big local demand, although 

 the shippers touch it very lightly, it being short-lived. About this time 



