^44 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



apples. (We are planiiinK to publish 

 cuts from these photographs in our next 

 issue. — Ed.) These will show an abund- 

 ant crop. Every tree carried all or more 

 than the limbs should bear and com- 

 pared splendidly with other varieties in 

 the orchard. The nature of the early 

 formation of the apple shows almost en- 

 tire protection from the frost or damage 

 from continued rain, guaranteeing a 

 distinct advantage over any other vari- 

 ety, as illustrated by the crop the first 

 year, while other varieties all failed. 



Fifth, as to the size of the apple, the 

 specimens presented to you with this 

 report, which I personally plucked 

 from the trees without a ladder, show 

 a satisfactory average size, but without 

 a tinge of color. I can wholly endorse 

 the opinion of Prof. Crowley, sent to 

 inspect for the Orange Judd Company 

 of New York, that "they compare 

 favorably in size with the Ben Davis 

 or Baldwin, the average showing rather 

 better than the latter variety." 



Their keeping quality has been tested 

 already, and sufficient proof is at hand 

 to show they stand the test. Mr. 

 Spencer will pick his present crop 

 about the middle of October, and says 

 they will be at their best about the 

 first of March following. 



There only remains for considera- 

 tion the quality of the mature apple. 

 At this date it is impossible from per- 

 sonal observation to form any ac- 

 curate judgment of the flavor, but I 

 can say that the texture is firm, solid 

 and juicy. A few months hence, I 

 hope to settle, according to my own 

 taste, the point of flavor, which opinion 

 I can only hope may express that of 

 the majority who may have the oppor- 

 tunity of using it. In the meantime, 

 I can only fall back on the opinion 

 3f other disinterested parties. Mr. 

 Maynard, secretary of the National 

 Association of Gardeners, says: "It 

 is similar in flavor to the Baldwin, 

 but more juicy, and in this respect, 

 as well as in its apparent cooking quali- 

 ties, similar to the Greening. The 

 meat is firm, the texture fine and smooth 

 and the quality of the flavor very good." 

 Prof. Alex. Glehan, president of the 

 West Virginia Horticultural Society, 

 and J. F. Moore, join in the following 

 statement: "In color the fruit is a 

 dark, rich red with small yellow dots 

 sprinkled over its surface. It is strictly 

 a winter variety, not being ready for 

 the market before the last of October, 

 and in flavor compares favorably with 

 the Wine Sap, and is a better keeper 

 and shipper than the Ben Davis, the 

 skin being smooth and firm but not 

 undesirably tough." 



From the above it would seem that 

 the Spencer Seedless apple has, in my 

 judgment, all the qualities necessary 

 to make it a success as a "commercial 

 apple." Added to this is the seedless 



characteristic, which will, as an attrac 

 tive table apple, as a No. 1 cooking 

 apple without seeds or core, as well 

 as an evaporating apple, give it a value 

 for many years far in advance of other 

 varieties and which at the present 

 time can scarcely be estimated. 



Every apple of this variety, hke 

 every seedless orange, is not entirely 

 without a seed. I was given a full 

 liberty to pick and cut as many apples 

 as I desired. I made full use of this 

 privilege. The vast majority of the 

 apples were absolutely seedless, but 

 occasionally an apple, especially when 

 taken from the side of the trees ad- 

 jacent to the other varieties, showed 

 one seed, seldom perfect, and appar- 

 ently squeezed into the flesh of the 

 apple, in one case within half an inch 

 of the flower end, indicating that it 

 had been caused by pollen from trees 

 of another variety. This theory seems 

 all the more plausible according to 

 Mr. Spencer's \4ew, because the pro- 

 portion of single seeds found is always 

 greater in a season where high winds 

 prevail at the time the apples are in 

 blossom. 



A few words may be acceptable as 

 to its history. The apple has not been 

 originated by the operation of any 

 special genius on the part of Mr. Spen- 

 cer, except it be the genius to experi- 

 ment continuously with the hope that 

 something of value might some time 

 be the result. In that spirit, Mr. 

 Spencer has year after year planted 

 apple seeds, watching especially any- 

 thing peculiar. In the course of these 

 operations he found the first seedless 

 apple tree, which tree Mr. Spencer de- 

 clares has been greatly improved by 

 careful selection in budding and graft- 

 ing. He has since then found other 

 trees with peculiarities, which have yet 

 to be tested as to their real value. He 

 has a fondness for this kind of work, 

 and continues it )'ear after year. He 

 beUeves he has the theory out of which 

 will also come the stoneless peach and 

 the pitless plum. Whatever the in- 

 dividuals may do or say whose business 

 is disturbed by these strange freaks of 

 nature, the general public should, and 

 I believe will, hail them with delight, 

 and give to such men as Mr. Spencer 

 every encouragement in the production 

 of superior varieties. 



My personal conclusions are that 

 the Spencer Seedless variety will force 

 its way to a front place: Because as a 

 "commercial apple" it has intrinsic 

 merit; it matures and comes into 

 bearing early; it has a beautiful ap- 

 pearance; it produces a good crop; it 

 is a good medium size; and, being 

 solid all through, produces more meat 

 than a larger apple with the obnoxious 

 seeds and core. According to the best 

 evidence, its quality and texture are 

 No. 1, while its keeping qualities are 



excellent. Without question, these 

 characteristics give it the highest value 

 among all other varieties. — (Signed) 

 John Drvden. 



Preparing; For Stra-wberries 



The preparation of land for a new 

 patch of strawberries is work that 

 should be done this fall. Perhaps some 

 of the readers of Thk Horticulturist 

 have a piece of old scxl land that they 

 purpose to plant with strawberries. If 

 so, the first consideration is to destroy 

 the quantities f)f white grubs that al- 

 ways exist in such land. To do this, 

 plow the land before cold weather sets 

 in, and let it lie thus all winter. 



In the early spring, plow again, har- 

 row and sow some crop that can be 

 cultivated during the summer. By the 

 next fall, or at most the following 

 spring, the land will be in the best 

 shape for strawberries. The exposure 

 in the upturned sod during the previ- 

 ious winter and the following culti- 

 vated crop will have destroyed the 

 great majority of the white grubs, and 

 the ground will be in an excellent state 

 of cultivation. 



Signs and Omens 



Rabbits' feet are said to be lucky — 

 but not in an orchard of young trees. 



A boy stealing apples at night por- 

 tends trouble — if you are a good shot. 



It is a bad sign to see a neglected 

 orchard on Fridav — or anv other dav. 



If you see a vision of greenbacks 

 when you harvest your apples this 

 fall, it is a sign of good times. 



A few tons of manure scattered on 

 an acre of orchard soil in the dark of 

 the moon will conjure large crops. 



A plow or a harrow standing on the 

 lee side of a wire fence is rainy weather 

 is a sign of hard times ahead for the 

 owner. 



To sell 13 peaches for a dozen on 

 the 13th of the month, or any other 

 day, is a sign of generosity on your 

 part and good luck for the other fellow. 



If you subscribe for The Canadian 

 Horticulturist on Monday or Tues- 

 day, or Wednesday, or Thursday, or 

 Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday, you 

 will be happy as long as it continues 

 to come. 



Little apples, wormy apples, de- 

 formed apples, and apples that are 

 not apples, in the middle of a barrel 

 is a sign that the packer is a fakir — 

 and the goblins'U get him if he don't 

 watch out. 



When webs of fall web-worm are 

 observed, either cut out the branches 

 to which the web is fastened and burn, 

 or destroy nests while on tree by holding 

 a lighted torch beneath it. 



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