APPLES. 263 



over two-year-old trees. As to length of stem, I am not an advocate of the no 

 stem theory, but am open to conviction. It may be necessary to grow the 

 Wealthy as a bush, but topworked three feet high on Virginia. I be- 

 lieve it would be equally hardy and much more conveniently protected 

 from rabbits and less likely to be broken down by drifting snows. 



The choice of varieties is a matter of prime importance, but, unfor- 

 tunately, one upon which the doctors must cordially disagree. In the past 

 the Duchess has been the most profitable, and with the general adoption 

 of cold storage seems likely to be one of the best for the future. In 

 southern Minnesota it is reliable in hardiness,as is witnessed by thousands 

 of old trees standing in perfect health. I am under the impression that 

 severe thinning of fruit to change the year of bearing from that of the 

 common orchards, thus securing fruit in the off years, would be a very 

 advantageous policy. • 



The Hibernal (I mean the entire family, including Recumbent, Juicy 

 Burr, Pendant Ear, and Silken Leaf) is, probably, the next most reliable 

 variety. At the late northern Iowa meeting it was repeatedly declared 

 to be twenty per cent, hardier than Duchess, and no one was heard to 

 dispute. It is noticeable for its early and heavy bearing. Trees in my 

 orchard, five years set, have already paid first cost and all expenses, 

 indeed, have brought in about as much money as Duchess nine years 

 planted. Careful investigation and observation among the orchards from 

 Minneapolis to central Iowa lead me to the belief that I can serve the 

 fruit interests of the country no better than by urging the merits of this 

 variety. J. C. Ferris aptly calls it "The Ben Davis of the North." While 

 it does not monopolize all the pomological virtues, it will, if given the 

 opportunity, afford our people an abundance of apples up to the first of 

 January, and will extend the region of profitable orcharding a hundred 

 miles or more to the north -and west. It is, fortunately, a variety com- 

 monly found in the nurseries, and I am advertising no monopoly in 

 publishing its virtues. 



The Longfield is not a variety of great hardiness, but it is to-day 

 perhaps the safest variety to plant for sale as a dessert apple. It will 

 bear a bushel of apples a little quicker than any variety I know of, and 

 although a little undersized is quite handsome and about as good in 

 quality as Wealthy. The Wealthy is commonly considered an early 

 bearing variety. With me it has borne a few specimens about as soon as 

 any, but it has taken double the time to carry a crop that it has the 

 Longfield. There has been so much evidence brought to show the 

 advantage of topworking that I should favor setting the Virginia crab 

 and Hibernal, and topworking them with either Wealthy or Longfield, 

 with a strong leaning in favor of the latter. As an all winter variety the 

 Malinda is attracting much attention. Were it an early bearing kind I 

 would think it valuable in spite of its half-hardiness, but life is too 

 short and our climate too uncertain to admit such a variety into the com- 

 mercial orchard. 



Whatever varieties are planted or methods employed we must expect a 

 larger loss of trees than the Eastern orchardist. Periods of wide-spread 

 disaster, as in '84-5, will doubtless again overtake us; but if to the com- 

 pensating advantages of exemption from insect pests, superior beauty, 

 quality of fruit and nearness of market we add the use of early bearing 



