CHAPTER III 



SELECTING VARIETIES AND BUYING NURSERY 



STOCK 



HAVING selected the orchard site with due regard (so far as 

 circumstances will allow) for the principles laid down in the 

 preceding chapter, the next matter for consideration is what 

 varieties shall be selected arid where the stock shall be purchased. 

 In fact, the orchardist has probably considered both of these 

 questions, but especially the former, long before he decided on 

 the site for his orchard, perhaps even before he bought the farm. 



Let us first attack the difficult question of varieties. A 

 common and a very convenient way of eluding this question 

 when asked for advice is to say that " it is a personal matter." 

 To a certain extent it is, but to a much greater extent there are 

 certain fairly definite considerations that apply to every case. 

 The writer favors the use of score cards, one of which has already 

 been submitted. He has therefore attempted to reduce the 

 principal desirable qualities of a market apple to this basis and 

 to attach certain definite values to each quality. There are two 

 scores, in fact ; one for the general or wholesale market and the 

 other for the special or retail market. In the latter it is sup- 

 posed that the grower comes in direct or nearly direct contact 

 with the consumer, while in the former he sells to a buyer at the 

 orchard or to a commission man. 



Score Card for a Commericial Variety of Apple 



General Market Special Market 



TREE 40 35 



1. Heavy bearer 20 lf> 



2. Early bearer 10 10 



3. Health and vigor 10 10 



FRUIT 60 65 



4. Fair size 10 10 



5. Good color 20 1 -j 



6. Good quality 12 25 



7. Keeps well 10 10 



8. Ships well 8 5 



Totals 100 100 100 100 



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