WISCONSIN SEEDLING APPLES IN MINNESOTA. Ill 



if, as it promises, it proves hardy, it will be of commercial value, ae 

 the quality is good and appearance attractive. 



I have seen over two hundred and fifty Wisconsin seedling apple 

 trees, have tried at least one-third of them, and have boiled the list 

 down to the few of those that I consider of the most value for me on 

 my high limestone ridge location — on lower lands they would not 

 prove as good. We are testing quite a number at Wausau, and if 

 we find any that are of more value for the north we will report later 

 on. You will notice this list contains four winter varieties and three 

 fall varieties. With me the value is in winter varieties. So much is 

 being written on new and hardy varieties that it gets to be an old 

 story, and I find that the best thing I can do for a-planter who de- 

 sires information is to induce him to visit me and examine iny trees 

 and apples in the bearing season. I have many that I am testing 

 both on their own roots and top-grafted, and I may be able to report 

 a more valuable list later on— and shall work while I live to capture 

 the thousand dollars offered by the Minnesota State Society, but as 

 the tree is to be so near perfection I do not expect to get it. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES FOR THE VEGETABLE 



GARDEN. 



J. E. NORTHRUP, MINNEAPOLIS. . 



When I came to examine the subject that had been assigned 

 me I dicovered it was a very large subject to do justice to 

 within the limits of five minutes. . I often regret there is not 

 some guide for people who are anxious to plant the best varie- 

 ties of seed it is possible to get. I believe that thought has 

 occurred to almost every one who has searched the bewildering 

 mazes of a seed catalogue. 



Each variety of vegetable should possess distinguishing points 

 of excellence over others, before it is entitled to a place in the list of 

 varieties. 



A study of varieties well repays not only the market gardener but 

 the amateur, who plants for his own use and wants the best that 

 can be grown. 



It does not follow that a variety that is most profitable for the 

 trucker is best for the private planter. The former plants for profit 

 only, while with the latter quality should be the prominent consid- 

 eration. I have known a shipment of 1,000 boxes of peas, sent to 

 New York state by a southern trucker, to sell for $1,000 more than a 

 like consignment equally good received there two days later. It 

 was earliness that won the prize; quality cut no figure. 



I once sent to Henry Ward Beecher— who was an enthusiastic 

 gardener — a small quantity of seed of a new,extra early pea which I 

 had assisted in developing, and which afterwards won and sustained 

 for years the reputation of being the earliest pea known (the 

 "Alaska"), and asked him to try them. In due time I received a 

 letter from him, saying that he had planted the peas and they were 



