APPLE SEEDLINGS OF MERIT IN NORTHERN IOWA. 169 



January the most promising' of anything- I know is my seedling of 

 Ben Davis. Fine grower, very hardy to appearance, a steady bearer» 

 and a good fruit of good size, no doubt the product of a cross with 

 Tallman Sweet. I have still another sweet seedling of which the 

 Duchess is a grandparent and the Tallman the first cross. It will 

 keep, and its quality is excellent. Of Brilliant, my seedling of 

 Fameuse, the United States Pomologist at Washington writes: 

 ' Superior to its parent in every respect.' It is a third larger, hangs 

 well to the tree, and I have always regarded it ten to fifteen per cent 

 hardier than Fameuse. It also makes stronger forks and is free 

 from blight." 



Mr. Mitchell, of Cresco, Iowa, in a particularly trying situation, 

 has originated several seedlings of value. His Red Warrior is a 

 very smooth fruit of good size, beautifully colored, that keeps 

 better than Wealthy. The tree is a prodigious bearer and of unde- 

 niable health and hardiness. For culinary use and on the market 

 it would be first class; as a dessert apple it is not equal to the 

 Wealthy. This variety has not had the trial in our state that its all 

 around merits seem to call for. It scored 95 per cent at the Omaha 

 Exposition and attracted much attention, as, indeed, its great beauty 

 would command anywhere. A variety he calls No. 4 A. resembles 

 the Duchess; fruit, sound November 17th.; tree, very prolific. Cresco 

 is the name of another of his productions that should receive a 

 share of our attention. 



One of the most persistent workers in Iowa is G. A. Ivins, of Iowa 

 Falls, who writes of his favorite seedling apple as follows: "My 

 No. 2 is a fine, large apple of high color, and in quality for eating- 

 and cooking I have none on my grounds that will surpass it ; in 

 hardiness it will stand any winter that the Duchess will. It has 

 Russian blood and like many of them is rather a slow grower in the 

 nursery row. The apple in shape is nearly round, or what is called 

 flat; season, October. I have several other varieties, but this is the 

 best." 



Kaurap is a varietj'^ that was introduced at Odebolt, Iowa, about 

 1875, although we believe it originated in another state. It is similar 

 to the Longfieldin its habit of reinarkably early and heavy bearing. 

 The fruit is below medium in size and only fair in quality but keeps 

 perhaps a month longer than',Wealthy; not an extremely hardy sort, 

 but one that makes quick returns, and as it keeps well would be of 

 some value in the home orchard. It is very pretty in the nursery, 

 where it grows as straight as an arrow and branches out as hand- 

 somelv as could be desired. 



Fruit Outlook in Wisconsin. — "I have just returned from a ten 

 days trip in the northern part of the state. I find the tender varie- 

 ties of apples, pears and cherries somewhat injured, but I can find 

 no damage to the blossom buds of our hardy varieties of apples 

 plums, cherries or pears. I look for very little injury here in the 

 north, for the reason that wood was well ripened last fall. The 

 ground was wet, and w^e have had plenty of snow all winter. The 

 cold came gradually, and trees and animals were prepared for it. 

 Unless damage is done from now on, I look for a fair crop of fruit." — 

 A. J. Philips, Wisconsin. 



