THE MOST PROFITABLE FIVE CRABS. 
THE MOST PROFITABLE FIVE CRABS AND HYBRIDS 
FOR MINNESOTA. 
J. R, CUMMINS, WASHBURN. 
i To be profitable the hybrid or apple must be of good quality,, 
must have productiveness, hardiness and be generally free from 
blight. 
Of the crabs and hybrids recommended by the horticultural so- 
ciety for general cultivation in Minnesota, I have the Martha, Briar 
Sweet, Early Strawberry and Whitney in bearing, but of these four 
a not one can be called perfect. In quality the Martha is the best. 
_ The tree seems to be perfectly hardy and free from blight, but its 
one fault or failure is that it isa poor bearer. The blossom does 
not seem to have the power to stand frost or unfavorable weather, 
‘ as the Florence or Wealthy. While the Martha bloomed well this 
_-_—cyear and last, 1896 and 1897, there was but little fruit. The Florence 
and Wealthy near by fruited heavily both years. 
be The Briar Sweet is a heavy and regular bearer, seems to stand the 
climate well, and if salable would be the most profitable of the four 
q to grow. 
The Whitney is a good bearer; the Early Strawberry is more pro- 
; ductive, but neither, probably, perfectly hardy nor as salable as 
¥ other hybrids. The Florence, though rather small, is one of the 
most productive of the crabs or hybrids, one of the varieties that 
never fails. The tree is very hardy, free from blight, and the quality 
of the fruit is good for table use. 
ea While the Transcendent cannot be recommended for general culti- 
+ vation because of its blighting so badly, yet, in some few locations 
B or under certain conditions, it can be grown profitably. As to loca- 
tion: six miles southwest of Minneapolis on land of Mr. J. T. Grimes, 
there is a fine orchard of Transcendents. The trees are large and 
handsome, almost entirely free from ‘blight and about twenty-five 
or thirty years old. The Transcendent grown in sod or not culti- 
vated is almost free from blight, while near by where cultivated 
and manured it blights worse than any other hybrid or apple. 
The Orange is one of the profitable hybrids; it may not stand all 
a of the winters, but the tree is a regular bearer,and the fruit one of 
the best for cooking. The Hyslop sold in Minneapolis at $1.50 to 
$2.00 a bushel in the fall. With the Virginia I have had no experi- 
ence, but from the recommendations of others it is one of the best 
mo 6s Varieties, 
Bir Of the new seedlings, Mr. J.S. Harris says (fol. 26, 1896, page 341): 
_  “Lyman’s Prolific is worthy of looking after on account of hardi- 
ness, size and productiveness.” This tree originated some thirty 
years ago, about two miles south of Excelsior, and has never been 
injured in the least by any winter since then; is almost entirely free 
§ from blight; a heavy, annual bearer; fruit, good quality; season, 
October. 
_ Of the many new seedlings, grown in this state, we have good 
reason to expect there will be some which will excel in hardiness 
and quality the old varieties of hybrids. At this time I would 
a 
