The Canadian Horticulturi^ 



Vol. XXX 



MAY, 1907 



No. 5 



Improving' and Originating Varieties of A.pples 



B. S. FicKett, Plant Breeder, CKampai^n, Illinois 



SO much has been written of late 

 regarding the need for improved 

 varieties of almost every sort of 

 cultivated plant that it will be unneces- 

 sary to devote any space at this time 

 to a discussion of this phase of the 

 subject. The Canadian Horticul- 

 turist has itself frequently urged the 

 need for better sorts of orchard and 

 garden fruits, and growers everywhere 

 are constantly on the lookout for kinds 

 better adapted to their particular con- 

 ditions. I shall, therefore, proceed at 

 once to a discussion of the control of the 

 factors which make for improvement in 

 varieties of apples. 



The control of the varied agencies 

 employed by the originator of improved 

 races and varieties requires, first, an 

 intimate knowledge of their nature, 

 and, second, ability and method in 

 their application. The first of these is 

 by no means fully understood. The 

 most learned men in botanical science 

 are still struggling with the problems 

 of variation and hereditary transmission 

 of acquired characteristics, and so forth ; 

 and, until these secrets of plant life are 

 actually laid bare, an absolutely definite 

 system of breeding is not possible. But 

 with regard to improved methods of 

 applying such truths as we do know 

 to the problems of breeding, much may 

 be said of an exceedingly practical 

 nature. 



Method implies definiteness of pur- 

 pose. Modem plant breeding is very 

 largely characterized by definiteness 

 of purpose, idealism in effect, for in no 

 branch of art or science are ideals and 

 unswerving adherence to them of greater 

 importance in the attainment of success 

 than in the improvement of plants. 

 Methods depend upon purposes. The 

 ideal in mind will decide the varieties 

 to be used, the line of experiment and 

 the standard by which the new produc- 

 tions will be tested. 



The purpose of improving varieties 

 of apples, summed up as briefly as pos- 

 sible, is to produce plants that are 

 more efficient for specific uses and specific 

 localities. Efficiency ideals may be 

 thought of under the following headings : 

 (1) yield ideals, (2) quality ideals, 

 (3) seasonal ideals, (4) physical con- 



formation ideals, (5) regional adapta- 

 tion ideals (as to climate, soil, altitude, 

 etc.), and (6) resistent ideals (as to 

 insects and diseases). (Bailey, Proc. 

 American Philosophical Society, Vol. 

 43, (1903), pp. 62-68.) The attainment 

 of each of these ideals may require differ- 

 ent methods of procedure. Each may 

 under certain circumstances, assume 

 paramount importance, or several of 

 them may need to be considered in the 

 course of one experiment. Moreover 

 the breeder should endeavor to see, that 

 his ideals lie within the possible vari- 

 ability of the race, a matter which may 



Meets tHe Needs 



I have observed with pleasure 

 the many improvements in The 

 Canadian Horticulturist dur- 

 ing the past two years. It comes 

 nearer to meeting the needs of the 

 fruit grower and gardener than any 

 other publication in America. May 

 it continue to prosper. — C. D. 

 Jarvis, B.S.A., Storrs Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, Storrs, Con- 

 necticut. 



of course, be difficult to judge accurately 

 without definite experimental evidence. 

 A very complete acquaintance with his 

 varieties and species will, however, help 

 the worker to mold his ideals correctly 

 and save efforts which otherwise might 

 be wasted in attempts to accomplish 

 the impossible. 



The writer knows of no new or magical 

 principles in the improvement and 

 origination of varieties of apples. Selec- 

 tion of natural variations, whether they 

 be small or great (fluctuating variations 

 or mutations), crossing and individu- 

 ality of the plants themselves are the 

 bases of the art. Orchardists generally 

 have shrunk from attempts to develop 

 tree fruits because of the time and room 

 required to test seedlings. But a mo- 

 ment's consideration will show that the 

 testing of seedlings on a large scale is 

 an infinitely smaller problem than the 

 solving of transit refrigeration for fruits, 

 the control of insects and plant diseases 



107; 



or the development, even, of power spray- 

 ing, all of which are matters that the 

 apple grower has attacked fearlessly 

 and confidently. Success depended 

 simply on the perfection of the methods 

 applied in each particular instance. So, 

 too, will the production of improved 

 varieties of apples be made successful 

 through the perfection of the methods 

 applied. 



It is manifestly impossible in an 

 article of this kind to give detailed sug- 

 gestions or directions for the conduction 

 of experiments designed to originate new 

 varieties to meet , any considerable 

 number of ideals. Hence, I shall take 

 one example and supplement it with 

 suggestions of a general nature for other 

 lines of experiment. 



The apple breeder is presumed to 

 have supplied himself with the necessary 

 collection of varieties, either on the 

 premises where the experiments are to 

 be conducted or within easy reach, and 

 to have at his disposal a large number 

 of orchards from which scions can be 

 selected. In accordance with the prin- 

 ciples already laid down, he outlines the 

 ideal variety which he wishes to produce. 

 To take an actual case, perhaps the most 

 frequently expressed ideal of the Ameri- 

 can commercial apple orchardist is this, 

 an apple of the size, color, hardiness, 

 productiveness, keeping and shipping 

 qualities of Ben Davis or Baldwin, to- 

 gether with the flavor and dessert quality 

 of Northern Spy, Spitzenburg or 

 Fameuse. The tabulation on next page 

 shows the breeder's outline. Each point 

 referred to is given a certain valuation 

 which represents the breeder's ideal 

 in that regard ; and by this standard, 

 actually a score card in practice, his 

 selections and crosses will be judged as 

 they come into bearing. 



It will, be noted that this score card 

 takes into account a great many of the 

 characters desirable in apples. I have 

 endeavored to have it cover all the 

 points of functional importance, that is 

 the points representing the performance 

 of tree and the value of its fruit, and 

 those only. This is immediately ap- 

 parent in every instance under the 

 heading, "Tree," except possibly the 

 one defined as "Habit of growth." 



