NATURES AID IN PRODUCING APPLES ADAPTED TO CLIMATE. 57 



If it can be done at all, which is doubtful, it would be a very 

 slow process to adapt the trees of the standard apples of the central 

 belt to its northern extremity. But in the planting of seeds, nature 

 appears to take care of itself, to perpetuate the species, and by 

 gradually extending the direction further north for a series of years, 

 we find the plants have attained a hardiness not possessed by the 

 original trees. The tendency in these removals is to acquire the 

 habit of maturing in less time and also to dwarf the size. The cereal, 

 corn, is one of the best examples of adaptation to climatic conditions. 

 It is now grown largely much further north than was supposed it 

 could be, only a few years ago, and it is noticeable that the grain 

 changes in character from dent to flint as we go north, thereby 

 adapting itself to a shorter season and to its environment. 



As the apple takes a series of years to arrive at its maturity, its 

 changes are not so cpiickly recognized; but as we go north, the 

 growing season being shortened, the tendency is to dwarf the plant 

 in size and also the fruit ; but nature, always true to itself for per- 

 petuation of the species, maintains its character for the production 

 of seeds, and though grown and matured as far north as possible 

 they apparently possess as much vitality as though grown under 

 more favorable conditions. 



NATURE'S AID IN PRODUCING APPLES ADAPTED TO 



CLIMATE. 



FRANK VAHNKE, WINONA. 



We all understand how nature aids in cross-fertilization to pro- 

 duce new varieties of apples, but the trees are not always adapted 

 to the climate, so I will not speak of this point. 



■ When the first settlers came to Minnesota, most all of them 

 planted some apple trees. Some procured trees from eastern 

 nurseries, others sowed the seeds from apples they had purchased, 

 or the seeds they had brought with them from the east. Many of 

 these trees did not live long enough to bear fruit, on account of the 

 lack of hardiness. Although they met with many failures, 

 yet a few succeeded in producing some fruit. When the Siberian 

 crabs and the Duchess were planted many were successful with 

 them. 



About twenty-five years ago, in driving through the country of 

 the Mississippi valley young apple trees could be seen growing up 

 along the wayside, and in walking through the woods the same could 

 be noticed. I will try to show how the seed was scattered and how 

 nature aided us in selecting those apple trees which are adapted to 

 our climate. 



