ISO ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



that the moisture-content of the twigs (new growth) of an apple 

 tree as winter approaches would be an indication as to their power 

 to resist frost. The smaller the percentage of water at that time — 

 and throughout the winter — the hardier would be the variety. 



To test the correctness of this conclusion, the writer last January 

 asked Mr. Macoun to select in the farm orchard ten varieties which 

 would represent respectively those which are practically frost proof, 

 those which are killed back in severe winters, and those which almost 

 every winter suffer to a greater or less degree. From these trees it 

 was proposed to take scions periodically and determine their moisture- 

 content. The following are the varieties chosen by Mr. Macoun, in the 

 order of hardiness, as deduced from his experience at Ottawa: — 



Duchess of Oldenburg ^ 



I 

 Yellow Transparent [- Group I. Hardiest. 



I 

 McMahon White J 



Wealthy. 



Group II. Less Hardy. 

 Scott's Winter . 



Scarlet Pippin . . ) Group III. 



Probably less hardy than 

 Walworth Pippin J Group II. 



Hebble White 1 



I Group IV. 



Boy's Delight 1- 



i Least Hardy. 



Blenheim Pippin J 



Eegarding these, Mr. Macoun, after inspecting the trees last 

 week. May 15th, 1903, reports as follows: — "Of the ten trees selected 

 for this test I find upon examination that three only show winter 

 killing, the other seven varieties having proved hardy to the tip — 

 though some of them apparently suffered in other ways from the 

 winter. The tender varieties are: (1) Boy's Delight, with terminal 

 buds killed and twigs' in a few instances killed back 3 inches ; (2) Hebble 

 White, showing terminals of twigs in many instances killed back about 

 3 inches, and (3) Blenheim Pippin, evidently the most tender of all — 

 terminal buds killed and wood killed back 3 to 6 inches, and in some 

 cases more." 



The first specimens were cut for analysis on January 23rd,^ and 

 have been taken fortnightly since that date. At these periods, three 

 or four scions were taken from each tree. These were approximately 

 divided each into two portions, so that in addition to the determination 



^ The investiig-ation should rather have CfOmmenced aJbout the tiane the 

 leaves began to fall in the autumn, but unfortunately it was not thougrht 

 of till nearly the end of January. 



