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THOUSAND DOLLAR PREMIUM FOR AN APPLE TREE. 131 
A THOUSAND DOLLAR PREMIUM FOR AN APPLE TREE. 
J. M. UNDERWOOD, LAKE CITY, 
In speaking upon this subject, there are two questions that naturally 
arise in my mind: what may we reasonably hope for as a result of this 
generous offer, and in what way can a person set about to produce the re- 
quired fruit? Every variety of apple that grows has, at some time, been 
recognized as a seedling. Thousands upon thousands have been raised, and 
yet there is but a comparatively small number that have ever become popu- 
lar varieties or that are grown in any great quantity. First among this list 
stands the Ben Davis, next the Baldwin, and after that the Northern Spy, 
and then you take your choice. To be popular and sell readily in market, 
it must bea red apple. To be most profitable, it must be a long keeper and 
stand handling well. This is why the Ben Davis stands pre-eminently at the 
head of the list. It is also a vigorous growing tree, repairs any damage 
done to it quickly, comes into bearing while young and is very prolific. It 
is not so good in quality as its rivals, but in every other particular it is the 
equal of them all, and it combines more good qualities than any other vari- 
ety. For Minnesota, it lacks the one important thing, which is hardiness; 
but like the Walbridge, it grows so vigorously and recovers from an injury 
so quickly, that it is almost a success even this far north, 
So far as we know, all of these varieties that are now under cultivation 
are chance seedlings, and there has been added another class known as hy- 
brids, that were first introduced by Dr. P. A. Jewell, and are valuable in be- 
ing hardy and prolific, but they lack size and quality, although they are a 
great improvement on the Siberian crab, from which the seed was taken that 
produced them. They are also very valuable in showing us what improve- 
ments can be made by crossing one variety with another. It is well under- 
stood that with animals we can control the conditions and breed for any 
desired purpose, milk, butter, beef, heavy draft or speed. The great Ham- 
bletonian 10 was a chance seedling, so to speak, but by the intelligent appli- 
cation ofthe laws of breeding he has sent forth a progeny that has astounded 
the world for speed. It used to be thought that one pound of butter a 
day was a good yield for a cow, but by intelligent breeding it is not an un- 
common thing for two pounds to be made and even three and four from a 
single cow in a day. The fact of the greatest importance to us, however, 
is that this application of the intelligent principles of breeding may be ap- 
plied to the vegetable as well as the animal kingdom. 
It is not easy for us to credit or adopt any new theory of this kind, and 
I well remember that when our departed friend, Peter M. Gideon, came be- 
fore this society and undertook to read a paper that presented the subject 
in rather a startling and seemingly extraordinary way, he was “sot down 
upon,” as it were, and yet who will say now that he did not have advanced 
and intelligent ideas that it would have been well for us all to have acted 
upon. Mr. Gideon put into practice what he preached by planting trees 
with a view to crossing one variety with another, from the seed of which 
should come a hardy and desirable apple. He has produced many new 
seedlings, and some of them are very valuable, the principal one being the 
Wealthy. The importance of this variety may be estimated in one way 
by saying that, at Lake City, the Jewell Nursery Company, have, since 1882, 
grafted and set 727,959 Wealthys. The proceeds of these grafts have been 
sent out all over the country, and many other firms in every state where 
