STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 59 



Thousands of seedlings have been grown and tested and some 

 valuable varieties have been produced. 



The work of Peter M. Gideon, the originator of the Wealthy and 

 a number of other varieties now quite extensively grown, is too well 

 known to northern apple growers to need more than a passing men- 

 tion. Manj' others are engaged in the sam line of work with more 

 or less indication of success. It is being carried on with much 

 activity in Iowa where the State Horticultural Society has taken it 

 in hand in a systematic way and is conducting some extensive 

 experiments in breeding and growng seedlings of the different 

 fruits, with a view to securirg varieties combining good quality 

 and a desirable season of lipening, with hardiness. In tiie case of 

 the apple, one line of work thus far begun has consisted in an 

 attempt to grotv from two or three selected wild crab tr es that 

 have proved perfectly hardy during a long term of years, and which 

 bear fruit of good size, a lot of hybrids resulting from the use cf 

 pollen of standard market and table varieties. 



In 1891 about 10,000 hand pollinations Avere made, a large num- 

 ber of them on the apple. In the fall the fruit resulting fr5m these 

 was gathered and the seeds placed in the hands of skilled propa- 

 gators for growing. 



This is so far as I know the most extensive and systematic effort 

 made by a society in this line and its outcome will he watched with 

 much interest. 



Among the many new sorts which have proved successful and 

 valuable over a large pait of the intermediate prairie district, the 

 Maine orchardist in search of hardy varieties will probably find 

 some varieties that will succeed with him as well as \Yealthy. 



Some of the best are the following : 



McMahon. This variety, which bas now been widely testi d, is 

 found to be very hardy and a valuable fall app'e. Its handsome 

 appearance combined with fair quality have given it a wide spread 

 popularity in the Northwest. It originated in Richland County, 

 Wisconsin. It is said by its originator to be a seedhng of Alex- 

 ander, grown in 1860. It was named by the Richland County 

 Horticultural Society in 1870. Size large ; roundish oblate, coni- 

 cal ; cavity large, regular, deep, flaring, russeted ; stem medium to 

 long, sometimes downy ; basin large, angular, deep, abrupt ; calyx 

 segments short, green ; eye medium, clostd ; surface smooth, shin- 

 ing, yellowish white often half covered with a beautiful carmine 



