144 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Mr. Frost. As I told Mr. Sears, I think it comes from soil 

 conditions, and I do not think it is up to me to explain it, as he is 

 the soil expert. 



Prof. Sears. I don't think that it is fair to the audience to leave 

 the matter in that way. I want to explain a little further my 

 ignorance in the matter. I have seen it for a great many years. 

 It is very common in the Tompkins-King variety. I never have 

 heard any one — Mr. Frost is the first one to raise the question of 

 soil conditions — I never heard any one with a theory about it. 

 I have n't myself even a theory. 



Question. You have seen the dark ring around the core of the 

 Baldwin apple this year. I want to know what that is. 



Mr. Wheeler. The question is, What is the dark coloration 

 around the core of the apple at this time of year, the Baldwin? 

 Do you know, Mr. Pickett? 



Prof. Pickett. Mr. Chairman, that is one of the questions to 

 which we cannot give a satisfactory answer. It is a natural break- 

 ing down or disintegration of the tissues, coming at this time of 

 year. You will see it in the winter, many times, in the Northern 

 Spy and other apples. It does not seem to be connected with rot. 

 The only explanation that I have ever heard, that I would like to 

 advance, is simply that it is natural disintegration and breaking 

 down of the tissues. 



Question. We have heard that the best soil for the Rhode 

 Island Greening is a moist soil, and that a dry soil is better for 

 Baldwins. I would like to know if any gentleman present can tell 

 me the best kind of apples to plant on very light, sandy soil with ft 

 gravel sub-soil. 



Mr. Wheeler. What do you think of that. Prof. Sears? 



Prof. Sears. Mr. Chairman, the two varieties that I would 

 suggest for that kind of a soil, from my observation, would be the 

 Hubbardston and W^agener. I have seen those two growing very 

 nicely on very light soil. The Hubbardston is a very well-recog- 

 nized light-soil variety, and it grows very well on light soil. The 

 third variety which I perhaps might mention, is the Tompkins- 

 King, which grows on quite a range of soil, and which grows very 

 nicely on light soil. We have that same kind of land which has 

 b( en spoken of, and we have some Tompkins-King that do very well 

 on that soil. 



