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Recognizing the fact that the market for apples is prac- 

 tically unlimited, many proprietors of large farms have planted 

 extensive orchards. Formerly the planting of an apple orchard 

 was an experiment, but at the present the varieties which may 

 be relied upon to yield a profit are well known. No planter of ex- 

 perience would think of accepting as a gift trees for planting of 

 such varieties as Bald win, Rhode Island Greening, or any of the 

 Pippins, once famed in New York and New England, and he 

 would look with suspicion upon all the tender-skinned and 

 often tender- wooded varieties which were the favorites of fruit- 

 growers forty or fifty years ago. Experience has taught that 

 only those varieties which come early into bearing, which pro- 

 duce a good yield under most circumstances, and with a hardy 

 body to withstand the fluctuating temperature of our change- 

 able winters, should be given a place in a commercial orchard. 

 Among the winter varieties found most profitable are the Ben 

 Davis, Willow, Minkler, Missouri Pippin, Grimes' Golden, and 

 Jonathan. This list may be extended to suit localities, but 

 the commercial orchardist is planting a limited number of 

 varieties only. 



The list of summer and fall apples that are hardy and pro- 

 duce abundantly is very extensive, but as the demand for these 

 is limited and must be governed largely by local conditions, we 

 do not deem it necessary to devote any space to their discus- 

 sion, further than to say that among the best known and most 

 profitable are the Red Astrachan, Duchess of Oldenburg, 

 Wealthy, and Maiden's Blush. These are all hardy and with- 

 stand a much lower temperature than ever occurs in Central 

 Illinois. 



Pears as yet may be called a luxury in nearly all Central 

 Illinois, though why, it would be hard to tell. The average 

 farmer contents himself with planting a couple, or at most 

 half a dozen trees. "Pears don't pay," is the common re- 

 mark, and yet where they are given as much care as apple 

 trees, many varieties bear profusely and are of a most excel- 

 lent quality. As in the case of apples, location must deter- 

 mine what kinds to plant. 



While the statement is true that both Northern and Cen- 

 tral Illinois are in their entirety capable of producing unlim- 



