particular that the Fruit Experiment Stations give valuable information 

 to intending planters. Productiveness is also an important character- 

 istic. Unfortunately some of the varieties of most excellent quality, 

 such as the Blenheim and King are lacking in this respect, and, while 

 it may be desirable to plant these for home use, still such a defect is a ser- 

 ious one in a commercial orchard. The age of bearing is another character- 

 istic which varies greatly in different varieties. The Northern Spy, for 

 instance, often requires ten to fiften years before it comes in bearing, 

 while Ontario, Wealthy, and many of the Russian varieties sometimes 

 bear even in the nursery rows, or at least in a year or two after they are 

 transplanted into the orchard. This is a difference which may well be 

 taken advantage of in the arrangement of varieties in the orchard, for, 

 as a rule, those which are slow in coming into bearing make larger trees 

 and are longer lived, while those which begin early and bear heavily are 

 more or less dwarfed in their growth and the trees are shorter lived. 

 For this reason trees of the precocious varieties are often planted as 

 fillers between rows of the later bearing and larger growing kinds. 



The most desirable qualities in the fruit itself depend largely upon 

 whether it is for the market or for home use. For home use, good 

 quality is the first consideration. Usually those having a spicy or char- 

 acteristic flavor, such as the Spy, King, or Mcintosh, are most desirable. 

 Apples with an acid or subacid flavor are most in demand on the market ; 

 nevertheless a good sweet apple is often much appreciated for home use. 

 For the market, good appearance is the first consideration. No doubt 

 in time buyers will be more discriminating and demand good quality 

 rather than fine appearance, but at present the most saleable apples are 

 those that keep well, are of fair size and an attractive color. W'ell col- 

 ored red apples are those in the greatest demand in the Old Country 

 market, a point which should be remembered in selecting varieties in- 

 tended for export. Good shipping qualities have also to be considered 

 in the selection of commercial varieties, although no doubt the improve- 

 ment in methods of packing and shipping may render this of less im- 

 portance in the future than it has been in the past. The 

 Ben Davis apple has long been recognized as one of the 

 best shipping varieties, on account of its firmness and good 

 keeping qualities. On the other hand, the Mcintosh is not 



a long keeper and is so easily bruised that it cannot be shipped 

 satisfactorily in barrels. But with improved methods of packing and 

 shipping, it may be shipped to any of the European markets and even 

 placed on sale with the Ben Davis, and it is a question how long the Ben 

 Davis, with its inferior quality, will be able in such competition to hold 

 its place in the market. Those who champion the Ben Davis may take 

 exception to the comparison just made because of the relative difference 

 in season of the two varieties. Nevertheless, we believe that it will be 

 safer in the future for growers to look more to the quality of the variety 

 than has been done in the past, for in due time buyers will no doubt be- 

 come more discriminating and demand apples of the very best quality. 



