THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 27. APRIL, 1899. No. 4 



THE MALINDA APPLE. 



A. K. BUSH, DOVER. 



As much inquiry comes to me about this apple, I will answer al 

 through the Minnesota Horticulturist. 



I was fortunate in securing twelve trees of this variety from Mr. 

 Kneeland, of Wabasha county, about twenty-one years ago. These 

 were planted on a steep hill-side which slopes to the east, sheltered 

 on the west with native oaks, on the north with a grove of willows, 

 maples, etc., on the south by a white pine hedge, which also shelters 

 my barns, feeding yards, etc., from the north winds and drifting 

 snows. The location and soil are favorable, the protection ideal. 

 This orchard, when planted, contained about seventy-five trees, 

 including Duchess, Wealthy, Early Harvest and several varieties of 

 crabs. 



Ten of the Malinda are standing in excellent condition for trees of 

 their age, a larger proportion than of any other variety. These ten 

 are annual bearers — wonderfully productive every other year. Two 

 years ago we picked and measured seventy-five bushels of apples ; 

 this year the crop was fully 100 bushels. From one tree, separated 

 by quite a distance from all others, we gathered enough to fill six 

 apple barrels, as many as would stand in an ordinary wagon box. 



My neighbor, Mr. Wm. Somerville, the venerable horticulturist, 

 who lives three miles west of my farm, reports one crop of twenty- 

 five bushels of Malinda apples grown on one tree which was top- 

 worked on a Transcendent stock about thirty years ago. Mr. G. Leitz, 

 a neighbor who joins my farm on the north, has several Malinda 

 trees, from the Jewell Nursery Company, I believe. These are fully 

 as productive and healthy as mine. I might refer to others who are 

 growing this apple near my orchard with success. The tree does 

 much the best top-worked on some hardy, thrifty stock like the 

 Hybernal, Virginia or Peerless. It also comes into bearing much 

 earlier. Mr. Somerville called my attention to a top-worked Malinda 

 which was well loaded with fruit three years from the graft. 



With us, in Olmstead county, the tree is regarded more hardy and 

 productive than the Wealthy when it comes into bearing, which ia 

 always very late on its own stock, say ten to twelve years after 

 planting 



The f'-uit will keep through the winter if proper care is used 

 in picking, handling and storing. This I have demonstrated several 

 seasons. • 



