APPLES. 251 



were takea which I exhibited at the first state fair, and I have 

 apples on exhibition out in the other room that were taken 

 from the identical tree, and that tree was set in 1860. It has 

 stood remarkably well and has never missed a crop of fruit. 

 My crop of small fruit this year was not as large as I have had; 

 I did not get my small fruit covered up, and hence it was in- 

 jured by the cold weather last winter, but yet, withal. I had a 

 fair crop, and my apples were a good crop. I do not know 

 that I can say much more about this subject. 



I have set out a new orchard. It was set out four years ago, and 

 I have specimens of pretty nearly all varieties of apples in that 

 orchard. I set out that orchard so it would be one of those 

 commercial orchards where we do not want too many varieties- 

 I set out the majority of those varieties that we know will give 

 us fruit. I set the trees 16^ feet apart each way. Then I went 

 to work on my experimental trees and set rows of them between, 

 and only a few varieties of each. The varieties I set for com- 

 mercial purposes were the Glass Green and the Duchess. The 

 former I think is a little better; it is not quite so tart; I think 

 the fruit is a little better than the Duchess. I have the "Wealthy 

 and the McMahon White, Budd's Seedling No. 1, and I have 

 also the Okabena, and I have Patten's Grgening. I have those 

 set out in my regular orchard. I have other varieties set out 

 between, so that I occupy the whole ground. In experimental 

 trees. I have eighty odd varieties of Russians, and I have every 

 seedling that is before the public; when they get too big it 

 is an easy matter to get them out. but I want them for the pur- 

 pose of seeing what the fruit will be. They have fruit enough 

 to pay for all the labor, and they will not interfere with each 

 other for a number of years. By having them in a small space, 

 we care for them better. This year the great majority of them 

 fruited. I have a great many valuable varieties there, and I 

 know it. but in the course of a year or two I will know better. 

 They have all made a fine growth. I am very thankful to 

 the Lake City folks for sending up the Okabena and the Thomp- 

 son Seedlings. The hailstorm injured all the Thompson 

 Seedlings so badly that I have none to show now. I think in a 

 few years I will have something that is very valuable. I have 

 not got the Peerless. 

 Mr. Sampson: Why don't you have the Peerless':* 

 Mr. Somerville: Well, in the first place, there was such a 

 corner on it that I could not stand the conditions, that if I put 

 it out I must not sell or give away anything, and I thought if I 



