Figure 4. 



from Malus Sikkimensis produce a uniform stand of nursery trees when 

 budded with commercial apple varieties. 



Original Mcintosh Propagated 



The so-called "Red Sports" of 

 Mcintosh are not sports but vari- 

 ations from the original Mcintosh. 

 In fact, they are the original Mcin- 

 tosh unsported. The Mcintosh apples 

 in the commercial field that are low 

 in red color and characteristically 

 stripped are not the original Mcin- 

 tosh but are strains that have varied 

 from the original Mcintosh variety. 

 The basis for this conclusion is that 

 the original Mcintosh tree, once re- 

 moved, now growing at the Mcintosh 

 Farm at Dundela, Ontario, bears 

 solid red apples, has hard firm flesh, 

 and is of excellent quality. Scions 

 from these trees were brought to 

 our nursery and worked onto some 

 of our rootstocks. These in turn pro- 

 duced the solid red apples that were 

 very similar to the Red Strain now 



sold in this country as Red Strains 

 of Mcintosh. Comparing the different 

 Red Strains with the original Mc- 

 intosh, it is evident there is very 

 little difference, but, if any, the ori- 

 ginal Mcintosh, once removed, seems 

 to be a little bit better than the Red 

 Strains, so it is quite apparent that 

 the so-called Red Strains of Mcintosh 

 are really the original Mcintosh un- 

 sported, and that stripped and green 

 Mcintosh are the sports. There is not 

 only a difference in color between 

 strains but it is quite noticeable 

 that the so-called red strains, which 

 are more nearly like the original 

 Macs, are a much harder apple and 

 tend to have keeping quality that 

 makes them hold up better in stor- 

 age and on the market. 



W. W. Smith 



28 



