WISCONSIN SEEDLING APPLES. I9I 



apple tree that is more than fifty years old — and it is in fairly 

 good condition yet — that in one season bore more than forty 

 bushels of good apples, and I figure that it has produced in all 

 more than 500 bushels of apples. Who can estimate its value? 

 I believe that one-fourth of the apples grown in Wisconsin for 

 the past three or four years have been Wealthys — God bless 

 Peter Gideon ! Who can estimate the value and good they have 

 done? 



My mother planted apple seeds in Dodge county almost sixty 

 years ago, from which my father, before I was born, selected and 

 planted an orchard of about loo trees, one of which is alive 

 and thrifty yet. These trees have borne thousands of bushels 

 of apples. 



My people were then poor and could not afiford to buy trees, 

 but we had apples — God bless their efforts, too ! My mother still 

 lives, and is it not a pride for her to point to the old seedling- 

 apple trees? 



Legions of new and promising seedlings have often appeared 

 on our docket, and we are all in a friendly strife seeking to win 

 fame for our new Red Jacket, Yahnke or Sweet Famuese — and 

 3'our pledge of $i,ooo. 



The good done by this offer you have made is immeasurable. 

 Some one will get the money, but the pul)lic will get millions in 

 wealth out of the benefits of these competing sorts, for all of 

 them will do good in their vicinity. 



It is not my purport to laud the praises of any new sort, but 

 I do want to encourage the production of many more new va- 

 rieties, believing that they will be of great local if not national benefit. 



A study of these new seedlings before us at this meeting, and 

 on this off year, ought to convince the most skeptical and en- 

 courage the most dormant person on earth to bestir himself to 

 plant seeds and propagate these new sorts. 



Could we write epitaphs and eulogies over the tombs of our 

 illustrious departed ones — Gideon, Peffer, Plumb, Springer, Har- 

 ris and many others, what more befitting could we say than — 

 "They selected well the seed they planted." 



I want you, our sister state, to join us in locating and main- 

 taining a seedling apple orchard for the purpose of planting seeds, 

 propagating and disseminating seedling apples. Will you do it? 

 And our efforts shall be rewarded. 



Surely it is a blessing and should be an inspiration to see. 

 multitudes of stray seedling apple trees growing by the roadside. 



