340 ANNUAL BEPORT 



a well ascertained fact that the long days of our Northern summers are 

 in the highest degree favorable to that combination of high color, de- 

 licate texture and fine aroma which sells an apple in the markets of the 

 world. Already the Wealthy is being shipped to England from Canada 

 with profit, and a long keeping Wealthy is all that is now required to 

 become the leading commercial apple of America." 



You want something better! Why don't you use what you have, 

 farmers? [Laughter.] And in addition to that try experiments, 

 every one of you. Plant the seeds of every good apple that comes 

 in your way; save the good and discard the unworthy. If we are to 

 produce good apples we must originate them from a combination of 

 native seedlings and New Russians, to supply every quarter section 

 with orchards, in Minnesota and Wisconsin. 



Mr. Dartt. I don't know as I would say a word on this question 

 only for a sort of fellow feeling I have for my brother delegate from 

 Iowa. 



Mr. Thompson. Be a little careful you don't get me into such a 

 scrape as you did when we roomed together at Dubuque. [Laughter.] 

 Mr. Dartt. I would say that I have hopes with Mr. Harris of get- 

 ting hardy varieties of apples, but I don't believe in these theories 

 that we have them now. It is easy to take the ground of our friend 

 Pearce; on the theory perhaps that a lie well stuck to is as good as 

 the truth. [Laughter.] If this theory will win I have no doubt we 

 will have lots of apples in Minnesota. That may be so, and perhaps I 

 had better not say anything more. 



Mr. Sias. Mr. President, I desire to say just a word of [this paper 

 of Mr. Brand's. I notice that he gave us some valuable statistics in 

 the fiist part of it. In the last part there was something objectiona- 

 ble, to the eflfect that we have nothing from the old country but Duch- 

 ess that are valuable. Let us look at that point a moment; doesn't it 

 seem a little singular that we have imported five hundred varieties 

 from Russia and that this is the only one among the number of merit? 

 Mr. Thompson. There are over 1,700 I think in Prof. Budd's list. 

 Mr. Sias. Yes; it seems to me very improbable that Duchess is the 

 only valuable variety. It reminds me of the Know Knothings who 

 wanted to put none but American born citizens on guard — a very 

 grave mistake, indeed! We admit Duchess is of foreign birth, and it 

 stands at the head of the list. The cut-leaf weeping birch stands at 

 the head of the list of ornamental trees; and for general cultivation 

 there is nothing better than the Norway spruce. We must not be too 

 selfish, and we do not want to go from this convention leaving the 



