MASSACHUSETTS APPLE TNin'STRY. 13 



THE VALUE FOR MASSACHUSETTS 

 OF SOME OF THE NEWER VARIETIES OF APPLES 



BY J. K. SHAW 



Tlie nuestion of the best varieties of apples for planting will never be 

 settled. While it is true that we have too many varieties and that nearly 

 every fruit gro\\er has in his orchard varieties that never should have been 

 planted, yet no variety is perfect and the alert grower is constantly on the 

 watch for something better. Then too, conditions are constantly changing 

 and a variety that is quite satisfactory now may not meet the demands of 

 the situation a few years hence. The man who anticipates the opportunity 

 of a new variety and plants it early will receive the largest rewards; but 

 on the other hand one who plants largely of a new variety that does not 

 fulfill its early promise may suffer material losses. The choice of varieties 

 is a most important question, for mistakes are not easily corrected. 



Several varieties are now on trial in Massachusetts,' and the following 

 comments based on ob.servations in the Experiment Station orchards and 

 on the experience of others in this and other states is offered for the in- 

 formation of orchardists. 



Cortland 



The Cortland is a cross of Ben Davis and Mcintosh originated at the 

 New York Experiment Station. It has been considerably planted in New 

 York where it seems to be meeting increasing favor. The supply of 

 nursery trees has been limited, but nurserymen are now propagating them 

 in greatly increasing numbers and liberal supplies of yearling trees are 

 now available. More than 8.5,000 trees of this variety w-ere certified by 

 the Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association in 1925. 



Cortland is naturally compared with its parent Mcintosh. Our ex- 

 perience indicates that in Massachusetts it will hang to the tree much bet- 

 ter than Mcintosh and need not be picked until at least two weeks later. 

 It matures in storage later and will keep from one to two months longer. 

 It stands handling distinctly better. Its susceptibility to Scab is no 

 greater and may be a little less. The hardiness, vigor and growth liabit 

 of the tree are very satisfactory. It comes in bearing early and bears an- 

 nually while young, and the fact that both parents tend to be annual 

 bearers encourages tiie belief that it will keep up this habit very well 

 with age. 



It has the same white tender flesh as the Mcintosh but is distinctly 

 inferior in flavor. It lacks the spicy richness of its parent variety. It is. 

 however, a aood apple, probably equal and possibly superior to Baldwin. 

 In appearance, wliile a iiandsome well colored apple, it is hardly equal to 

 Mcintosh and it appears to be less uniform in size and shape. Our judg- 

 ment is that it will not replace Mcintosh in New England though it will 

 find a place in extending the Mcintosh season. 



Dki.icious 



The i)elicious lias enjoyed an increasing favor over wide areas as a 

 high class dessert apple. It is worthless for cooking purjjoses, unless for 

 pies, so that fruit not attractive for fruit stand trade is good only for 



