44 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1885. 



hardy apples; T. V. Munsou of Denison, Texas, the grape 

 enthusiast ; and Geo. W. Cannpbell of Delaware, Ohio, also a 

 veteran in grape culture ; Parker Earle of Illinois, one of the 

 Commissioners, and in charge of the fruit department at the 

 New Orleans Exposition ; Dr. F. M. Hexamer of New York, and 

 Prof. A. J. Cook of the Michigan State Agricultural College. 



The discussion of new fruits with which the business of the 

 Convention commenced, began with, and for obvious reasons 

 lingered long upon, the Apple, and the crucial test of every 

 variety named, was its hardiness. The havoc made in apple 

 orchards in all the States west of the lakes, by the severity of 

 last winter, has made this an indispensable requisite to all 

 growers in those localities. The testimony of all the delegates 

 from those States was unanimous upon that point. In Minne- 

 sota, even the Oldenburg, which has hitherto been considered 

 iron-clad, was killed. Mr. Gideon said that the thermometer 

 with him at Excelsior, Minnesota, had gone as low as 49° below 

 zero. One delegate stated that he had cut from his apple 

 orchard two hundred and fifty cords of dead wood. Among the 

 new apples which received favorable notice was the Yellow 

 Transparent. It was pronounced a hardy apple, better than the 

 Early Harvest and earlier ; Mr. Chase of Pennsylvania had 

 received several hundred reports and considered it the coming 

 early apple. 



Of the new hardy apples originated by Mr. Gideon the most 

 promising were the Excelsior, the Martha, and the Gideon. 



The Excelsior is from the seed of the Wealthy, of light yellow 

 color, striped with bright red, of best qualitj'^, season September. 



The Martha is from the seed of the Oldenburg — a great 

 bearer — a little below medium in size, a bright glossy yellow in 

 color, shaded with light bright red — very tine for all culinary 

 purposes — season from October to November. 



The Gideon is supposed to be a cross between the blue pear- 

 main and a crab. It resembles the blue poarmain. 



The Phaler is an apple of the Yellow Transparent order — 

 about six days later — eatable about the 25th of July. 



The Salome was thought to be a valuable apple — season from 

 January to March. 



