The Canadian Horticulturi^ 



Vol. XXXVI 



MARCH, 1913 



No. 3 



The Best Varieties of Fruit for Ontario Orchards 





Anyone who is at all conversant with 

 conditions in the fruit industry will have 

 noticed an important change in regard 

 to the market demand for certain varie- 

 ties of apples. Our markets are ask- 

 ing more and more each year for better 

 varieties and better grades. Some of 

 the varieties which were formerly in 

 high favor are being discounted, and 

 indications are that the sorting process 

 will go on even more rapidly in the 

 future. The classes of apples most in 

 demand might be listed as follows : 

 First, early apples; second, large-sized 

 cooking apples; third, fancy dessert 

 apples. It is so easy for one to be mis- 

 understood when one undertakes to re- 

 commend varieties for certain districts, 

 that I scarcely feel like making the at- 

 tempt. However, a few remarks based 

 on the above classification may not be 

 out of place and may throw some light 

 on the variety question. 



EARLY APPLES 



During the summer months and until 



iddle or late August, our markets are 

 short of apples. There is a good de- 

 mand for early fruit, most of which is 

 used for cooking purposes only, but the 

 marketing season is comparatively 

 short. It is true that Duchess, for in- 

 stance, is counted a profitable variety 

 in some of the northern districts, but it 

 is also true that the growing of this 

 variety could be made very profitable 

 in those districts which can put early 

 sorts on the market at the earliest pos- 

 sible date. 



In my opinion there is an excellent 

 market for such varieties as Yellow 

 Transparent and Duchess, and the best 

 district in which to grow them is the 

 southern tier of counties, including Es- 

 sex and the southern parts of Kent, 

 Elgin, and Norfolk. The Niagara Dis- 

 trict can grow early apples to excellent 

 advantage, and on account of the excel- 

 lent marketing facilities which obtain 

 in that district it is safe to say that 

 early apples could be grown there in a 

 large commercial way. .\ny district 

 which undertakes to grow early fruit 

 must possess, good shipping facilities. 

 These varieties are picked as soon as 

 they are large enough for cooking pur- 

 poses and they should go to market in 

 baskets or in lx)xcs. 



The most economical apple for culin- 

 ary purposes is the large one. If this 



Prof. J. W. Crow, O.A.C., Guelph 



is of an attractive red color, so much 

 the better. There is a market for this 

 class of fruit from September to late 

 winter, but an apple to sell well to this 

 trade must be strictly first-class and of 

 the best size and color possible. Such 

 varieties as Alexander, Wolfe River, 

 Belnheim, and Spy when well grown 

 always command ready sale. 



DESSERT APPLES 



The first requisite in a dessert apple 

 is quality, the second is color. The size 

 may be large, medium or small. For 

 the fanciest trade, the small apple is in 

 greatest demand. Even of the large 

 varieties such as Spy, the smaller grade, 

 provided the color and quality are as 

 good, is sometimes more in demand 

 than the larger size. The best commer- 

 cial dessert apples are Snow, Mcintosh, 

 and Spy. These three varieties can be 

 grown to greater perfection in Ontario 

 than in any other province or state on 

 this continent, and I advise that they 

 be made the three leading varieties. 



In my opinion, the best chances for 

 financial profit in apple growing lie in 

 the production of high-class dessert 

 fruit. The three varieties mentioned 

 and a few others which might be men- 

 tioned as belonging to this class, if well 

 grown, are always in demand and can 

 be def>ended upon to sell at good figures. 



The low prices of the past season 

 have shown that some old favorites do 

 not possess sufficient quality to com- 

 mand ready sale. Even the Baldwin 

 was discounted heavily la.st season, and 

 it is certainly not over-stating the mat- 

 ter to say that Baldwin does not pos- 

 sess sufficient quality to commend the 

 best class of trade. I am quite aware 

 that at the present time Baldwin is be- 

 ing more extensively planted in this 

 province than any other variety. At the 

 same time, there are districts in On- 

 tario in which such inferior varieties as 

 Ben Davis, Gano, and vStark are at the 

 top of the planting list. I do not wish 

 to advise in the matter, but if present 

 indications count for anything, it is 

 certain that profit in apple growing in 

 the future will depend more upon qual- 

 ity than ever before. 



Following are brief notes concerning 

 varieties which may be added to the 

 foregoing lists of dessert and cooking 

 varieties of apples : 



Cayuga Red Streak (commonly called 



57 



Twenty-ounce). — A large, early fall 

 apple of splendid cooking quality and 

 splendid color ; extensively grown in 

 Western New York, thrives splendidly 

 in southern Ontario, and would grow 

 much farther north, as the tree is de- 

 cidedly hardy. 



Rhode Island Greening. — An old stan- 

 dard and still highly desirable. In my 

 opinion it is a safer variety to plant 

 than Baldwin, and just here I should 

 like to say that in selecting varieties it 

 should be the aim of each planter to 

 pick only those which are believed to 

 be the most profitable sorts. If one 

 looks over the list and selects the few of 

 which one feels most certain, there is no 

 necessity of going further or of planting 

 varieties in any way inferior. Simply 

 select the best. 



Tolman. — Another old favorite which 

 hitherto has not been in large demand 

 on the market. It is now being asked 

 for, especially for the north-west, as a 

 sweet winter apple for baking purposes. 



DESSERT VARIETIES 



Gravenstein. — A September dessert 

 apple of the finest quality, also first-class 

 for cooking purposes.- It drops some- 

 what badly, but possesses splendid 

 color and is an all-round attractive and 

 desirable variety where one of this sea- 

 son is desired. 



Grime's Golden. — A splendid mid- 

 winter dessert and cooking variety for 

 southern Ontario. 



OTHER VARIETIES 



Besides those mentioned, there are a 

 few varieties, such as King, Ribston, 

 Golden Russet, and Wagener, which 

 possess valuable qualities. King and 

 Golden Russet are notoriously shy 

 bearers unless planted on rich land or 

 heavily fertilized. With good care, it 

 might be possible to cultivate them pro- 

 fitably. Ribston is a late fall or early 

 winter dessert apple of excellent color. 

 The tree seems to be only moderately 

 hardy. I should be glad to learn the 

 experience of growers of Ribston over 

 the province, as it is a variety which 

 seems to possess every desirable quality. 

 So far as I have observed, it is not 

 widely grown except in one or two dis- 

 tricts, and I should like to know if it 

 cannot l>e cultivated over a much lar- 

 ger area of western Ontario. 



Wagener is a mid-winter, high qual- 

 ity, dessert variety, considerably resem- 



