THE WEALTHY APPLE 



BY W. F. MACOUN, C. E. F. , OTTAWA. 



^ I ^ HE Wealthy apple was originated by 

 1 Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, ^Minn.. 

 about 1 86 1, from seed which he obtained 

 from Maine. Mr. Gideon thought that it 

 was grown from crab seed, but many doubt 

 this. It is thought by some good authori- 

 ties that there is Fameuse blood in the 

 Wealthy, and certainly it has some of the 

 characteristics of that variety. Owing to 

 its hardiness, beauty, productiveness and 

 quality the Wealthy has justly become one 

 of the most popular varieties for planting in 

 the colder apple growing districts. The 

 tree will begin to bear two or three years 

 after planting and will produce a barrel of 

 fruit per tree six years after planting. The 

 tree is a spreading grower, but on account 

 of the great crops which are borne, it grows 

 slowly after coming into bearing. This 

 variety is very useful as a filler, as it will 

 produce profitable crops before some varie- 

 ties begin to bear. At the Experimental 

 Farm good success has been obtained by 

 planting these trees in a block ten by ten feet 

 apart each way, the object being to obtain a 

 large quantity of fruit from the land in a 

 short time and thin out in good season. 

 Planted in 1896, these trees had averaged up 

 to 1903 a net return per acre above all ex- 

 penses of $121.38. This year was an off 

 year, but the trees are in fine condition and 

 the promise is for a heavy crop next year. 

 The Wealthy apple exports well and keeps 

 splendidly in cold storage. Sent in ordi- 

 nary ventilated hold without cold storage, 

 they sold in Glasgow in 1902 at 6 shillings 



I G. 2731. Wealihy Apples at C.E.F., Ottawa, 



Planted 10 x 10 ft. Apart in Spring 1896. 



Photo Taken in 1902. Some Trees 



Bearing Over a Barrel Each. 



and 9 pence per box of 128 apples. The 

 Wealthy has three faults : First, owing to 

 its heavy bearing habit the fruit becomes 

 rather small after a few years, but by thor- 

 ough cultivation and thinning the fruit can 

 be kept up to good marketable size. Sec- 

 ond, the fruit drops badly, but owing to the 

 heavy crop there is usually a good quantity 

 of fruit left on the tree, and for the local 

 market our experience has been that good 

 fallen Wealthys sell as well as picked ones, 

 as the higher color of the fallen fruit ren- 

 ders them more attractive. Third, the 

 trunk is subject to sunscald and canker. 

 The former, and perhaps the latter, can be 

 prevented to a large extent by protecting 

 the trunk. 



On the whole, the Wealthy is one of the 

 most profitable apples for the more norther- 

 ly sections. 



