168 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



APPLE SEEDLINGS OF MERIT IN NORTHERN IOWA. 



CLARENCE WEDGE, ALBERT LEA. 



Northern Iowa has been a prolific field of experiment in apple 

 seedlings, as well as in top-working and other effort to secure 

 hardiness and quality in orchard fruits, and from the nature of the 

 climate and soil and the varieties from which seed is likely to be 

 taken, we think this section far more likely to originate varieties 

 suited to our use than any region east of us. Indeed, as the climate 

 of Iowa differs from our own only in degree, they are working at a 

 problem under the same case and rules as ourselves, we, being in 

 the advanced class, having, of course, the hardest example given us. 

 The influence of the horticultural societies, as at present organized, 

 will, also, in the future do much to encourage the production and 

 dissemination of the hardier fruits, as the influence of the two 

 northern Iowa societies rather preponderates in the state society* 

 and compels a very large consideration of such varieties as are well 

 adapted to southern Minnesota. A very different state of things 

 exists in Wisconsin, where the influence of the southern, lake 

 shore and other favorably located regions entirely governs the state 

 society, and where, indeed, the climate is generally modified by 

 large bodies of water and inamense forest areas. 



Foremost among the seedling producers of Iowa stands Mr. C. G. 

 Patten, of Charles City, who, from what might be called his first 

 crop of seedlings, has given us such promising kinds as the Patten, 

 Iowa Beauty, and Duchess No. 6. The first named can no longer be 

 regarded as a seedling, as it has taken its place upon the regular 

 propagating and catalogue list of all our northern nurseries and is 

 too well known to need description or comment. The Iowa Beauty, 

 a seedling of the English Golden Russset, is not as well known 

 among us as perhaps it should be. We have fruited it in a small 

 way for several years, and it is about the largest and handsomest 

 apple we grow, of good dessert quality, keeping perhaps a month 

 longer than the Duchess. It is a remarkably fine nursery tree, 

 has been grown to salable size here in Minnesota in two years, and 

 at three years would run above rather than below the standard five 

 to six feet. J. C. Ferris, of Hampton, one of the oldest nurserymen 

 of northern Iowa, regards this as the best of Mr. Patten's seedlings- 



The Arthur is a variety originated near Charles City and intro- 

 duced by Mr. Patten. A medium sized fruit, of regular oval form, 

 prettily striped, firm flesh, fair quality, keeping till February. We 

 have been much impressed with the early maturity and hardy 

 appearance of this tree, and considering the excellent keeping of the 

 fruit, think it a safe and valuable variety for our state. 



Duchess No. 6 is all the name Mr. Patten has yet vouchsafed to a 

 very nice dessert apple of about the season of its parent. Its lack 

 of color would deprive it of a place on the market, but its good 

 bearing habit, apparent hardiness and quality that pleases all 

 tastes, would make it desirable in the home orchard. 



In describing the following varieties, we copy from a letter lately 

 received from Mr. Patten. " For a sweet apple from November to 



