STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 53 



I wish now to refer to a few specific instances of actual studies 

 that have been made regarding the influence of conditions upon 

 the behavior of some well known varieties and, in this way, 

 attempt to outline what I consider to be some of the more funda- 

 mental principles involved in this phase of the variety problem. 



I promised further reference to the "Baldwin," and, because 

 of its wide distribution, it is one of the best varieties for the 

 present purpose ; besides, you are all familiar with it here where 

 it holds first place among commercial winter sorts. Where I 

 know this variet)- in the Piedmont and mountain regions of the 

 South, it is not a winter variety at all, but ripens during the fall, 

 the exact time corresponding closely with the altitude at which 

 it is grown. Throughout that portion of the Piedmont area of 

 Virginia where it is cjuite common, the soil is a red clay, or clay 

 loam, and the general elevation about i,ooo feet. Under the 

 conditions of soil and climate which exist here it is usually a 

 September apple, but it often rots and drops before it is fully 

 ripe. More than this, it does not color well and its quality is 

 exceedingly poor and insipid. Go into the mountains, and it is 

 quite a different apple, though not equal to the Northern grown 

 stock in keeping quality, but in general appearance, it may even 

 surpass the average product of the Xorth. Some of the best 

 flavored and the most highly colored "Baldwins" I have ever 

 seen were grown in the mountains of \'irginia, at an elevation 

 of from 2,000 to 2,500 feet, in a rich, porous soil, but even here 

 the tendency to drop is quite marked, the normal season of 

 maturity is previous to the holidays and the trees are often very 

 irregular in their bearing capacity. It is found only in the older 

 orchards, which were planted before such a thing as variation in 

 varieties was recognized. 



"Baldwins" from Oregon show striking variations in the mat- 

 ter of size; specimens as large as big "Northern Spys" are com- 

 mon, and when they develop the pentangular forms previously 

 mentioned, they are indeed deceptive in appearance. 



The "Winesap," which is to some sections what "Baldwin" is 

 to New York and New England, shows other traits peculiar to 

 itself. Probably there is no combination of conditions which 

 produce more beautiful specimens of "Winesap" than the ones 

 T have described in the Piedmont area of \^irginia where the 

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