178 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



their highest perfection. A mistaken choice will be a serious 

 thing, and one that will require valuable time and much cx^jense 

 to correct. 



The present paper is the result of a study, carried on for the 

 past four years, of the effect of varying climatic conditions on 

 varieties, and an attempt is here made to lay down certain prin- 

 ciples as to the climatic adaptations of varieties. Questions of 

 soil and culture are given only incidental consideration. For 

 the former there has not been sufficient opportunity, and a con- 

 sideration of the latter would lead into the whole field of orchard 

 management. Many samples of different varieties, grown under 

 widely varying* conditions, have been examined pomologically, 

 and some of them chemically, and a study made of the pomologi- 

 cal and meteorological literature available. 



This paper does not make specific recommendations of varie- 

 ties for any section of the country or for the country in general. 

 That is more or less a local problem into which enter questions 

 not considered here. Among them are those of soil, market 

 demands, methods of culture to be followed, the individual 

 preferences of the grower and many others. If the conclusions 

 of this paper are sound, they should aid in such choice, for 

 many varieties that might otherwise be considered are excluded 

 as not being suited to the climatic conditions of the locality 

 under consideration, while from those that are adapted climat- 

 ically, the ones best suited to soil and other conditions may be 

 singled out. 



The subject under consideration is a large one. To under- 

 stand at all fully the relations of apple variation to climate 

 will require prolonged study and experiment. This paper is, 

 in a large degree, introductory, and may contain errors and 

 omissions which should be corrected. The writer will greatly 

 appreciate any suggestions as to corrections or additions that 

 should be made. 



The work has been done as Adams fund research, and at the 

 same time in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the de- 

 gree of Doctor of Philosophy from the Massachusetts Agricul- 

 tural College. It has been done under the direction of Prof. 

 F. C. Sears, to whom the thanks of the writer are extended for 



