POMOLOGICAL RESEARCH ': 



)■' ■. ■ . 

 6« A Study of New Varieties 

 of Fruits 



The study of new varieties has been conducted for a longer period of time than 

 any other irork conducted by tiie Department, In October of 1888, Professor Maynard 

 reported on new and standard varieties of fruit* Some of the varieties of apples 

 Y/hich he listed such as Yellow Transparent, Gravenstein, Baldwin and Ro I, Greening 

 are still being grown, but it is rare to find the varieties Porter, King, Fameuse, 

 Fallawater, Sutton Beauty and Pewaukee in a commercial orchard today. His peach list 

 did not contain a single variety which we are now grovTing, The list included Alexan- 

 der, Mt, Rose, Old Mixon, Stump, Arkansas Traveller, Red Cheek, Morris V/hite, ViTheat- 

 land. Smock, Early Crawford and Late Crawford, Elberta was then l8. years old but 

 was not included in the list of peaches \i4iich Professor Maynard was growing at that 

 time. The stra\Tberry variety list included such names as Daisy, Dai iel Boone, 

 Garibaldi, Jessie, Old Iron Clad and Woodhouse, but did not include any of our recent 

 strawberry varieties, I expect this is enough of ancient history but it does show 

 how the variety picture changes over the years and the need for continuing the study 

 of new varieties. 



At the present time we attempt to obtain promising new variety introductions 

 of all the principal fruits which appear to be adaptable to Massachusetts, After we 

 have fruited each variety for a sufficient length of time to determine its v§.ue for 

 our conditions, we either discard the variety as having no\'alue or recommend it for 

 trial. After a variety has beengrown for trial by the station and by growers long 

 enough to fully determine its value as a commercial variety, it is then discarded if 

 found T^anting or recommended for commercial or home planting. 



The results of our variety studies are used as a basis for our special variety 

 circulars. The circulars list the varieties \#iich are recommended for commercial and 

 home use and varieties for trial. Brief descriptive notes and the harvesting season 

 for each variety are also included in the circulars. These variety circulars may be 

 obtained from the Mailing Room at the University at Amherst or from the Department of 

 Pomology, In the future we hope to have some stories in this publication on varieties 

 we have tested and discarded, Vife shall give the principal reasons why we think the 

 variety does not have any value for liassachusetts c additions. 



— ViT.D.Vfeeks 



SVJEEJ CHERRY VARIETIES 



Vifhile commercial Hweet cherry gro\iilng is of relatively minor importance in 

 Ii!assach\isetts, several varieties have been tested in the University orchard during 

 the past tvrenty-five years, ilany have been discarded for one or more reasons, as 

 follows : 



Dikeman - Vifhile it ripens late, it is mediocre in quality, unattractive, and 

 too small to merit further consideration. 



Early Honey Heart - As the name implies, it is one of the earliest varieties 



but is a small, yellow cherry, cracks badly and is generally unattrac- 

 tive • 



