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THE MOST PROFITABLE FIVE APPLES. 109 
THE MOST PROFITABLE FIVE APPLES 
FOR MINNSEOTA. 
D. F. AKIN, FARMINGTON. 
Every paper must have a subject with one leading thought. The 
a text assigned me for a five-minute dissertation is the following, viz: 
4 “The Most Profitable Five Apples for Minnesota.” As there are no 
4 apples grown in the north half of the state, except two, and one of 
4 those a hybrid, the person who would attempt to name five of the 
most profitable apples for that part of the state might be considered 
a fit subject for the first inmate of the asylum to be located at Hast- 
ings, or Anoka perhaps. Thisis the thirty-first annual meeting of 
this state society, and at every previous meeting this subject has 
been discussed pro and con by the best learned and most experi- 
enced pomologists of this and adjoining states without coming to 
any positive conclusion as to the most profitable one variety—much 
& more five varieties, and at this thirty-first meeting “poor me” must 
decide this very important matter to all persons who grow or intend 
% to grow apples in this state. At one meeting several varieties 
: would be mentioned for general cultivation, and during the follow- 
ing year nearly every variety has shown some serious defect, either 
in tree or fruit,so it has been necessary to change many of them 
and substitute others that have seemed to possess the requisite 
qualities. These changes have been necessary to get the very best 
varieties and show that the most profitable five varieties for the 
‘ state have not yet been generally distributed. 
; One variety, the Duchess of Oldenberg, is accepted as a profitable 
one for the state, and as for the other four varieties a few more years 
of observation and experience must be passed before they can be 
successfully named. I believe the seedlings are now bearing which 
B will prove to be the varieties to be in general cultivation in the 
state for profit; in fact, there are now several of Mr. Gideon’s seed- 
lings that are proving hardy and profitable. Some of these, with 
other seedlings that are now bearing, are, in my view, to be the 
profitable varieties for the state. I believe the persons who grow 
and test seedling apples are doing more for the successful and 
profitable production ofapples in the state than all other means 
combined. 
As it is left to me to name the most profitable five apples for the 
state, I will name the following: Duchess of Oldenberg, Borovinka, 
Wealthy, Malinda and Haas, as they have proved the best bearers 
and good market varieties. 
In this connection it might be well to propose to this society, or 
suggest, a division of this state into three pomological districts, as 
follows: the first district to commence atthe south line of the state 
and extend north eighty miles; the second district to commence at 
the north line of the first district and extend one hundred miles 
north; the third district to include all of the rest of the state north 
of the second district. This division of the state would seem to 
give the persons in the different districts a better show in selecting 
fruit hardy in their district; also in awarding premiums this divis- 
ion would give a fairer show. 
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