STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETT. 79 



which are not genei'ally well known and which, it seems to me, that 

 it might be well to discuss, in order to find their merits and de- 

 merits. The Alexander is still attracting some attention. I have 

 learned something in regard to it, during the past year, from inquiry 

 as to the demand for it in the market; of course that affects the 

 desirabilit}' of the fruit. It certainl}- appears to be undesirable for 

 some sections of the State. Being in Portland last fall, and study- 

 ing, of course, the fruit stands and the fine show of fruit made, I 

 saw, on nearly everj' stand in the citj', large dishes, and sometimes 

 counters, filled with the Alexander. It makes a verj' fine show and 

 attracts attention. I asked the proprietor of one of the stands in 

 regard to it, and if they had a good sale for it. Said he, " No, we 

 buy about one liushel and keep them for show. It is not an apple 

 that sells." If this is the appreciation of the market in regard to 

 the apple, certainly we do not want it as a market fruit. It is classed, 

 of course, with cooking apples, but I have no sympathy with an 

 apple that is onlj- a cooking apple, because it sells for a low price. 

 AVe have the Alexander, Twenty Ounce, Duchess of Oldenburg 

 and Colvert, which are all of the same nature, and while good, rich 

 apples sell at $2.00 per barrel, these sell at §1.00 or $1.25. It 

 costs no more to raise good apples than poor ones. I know of no 

 reason wh3' we should recommend these cooking apples to the pub- 

 lic attention. There is no room for them in au}' section where 

 better apples can be grown, and I would include the Alexander in 

 this list. It is, in the northern section of the State, a richer and 

 better apple than when grown on the coast, but it is not wanted in 

 the central and southern parts of the State. 



If, Mr. President, 3'ou have not a list of such fruits as j'ou wish to 

 take up, I would then call up the Mcintosh Red, referred to just now 

 by the committee. 



Mr. Blossom. I will say, in regard to that, that I have two trees 

 in bearing, which probably bore last year one-half barrel of apples, 

 and I failed to find one that was eatable, they cracked as badly as 

 the Flemish Beaut}- pear, and were all spotted and very inferior in 

 appearance. I wish I could raise as good specimens as those here 

 on exhibition. 



Mr. Carpenter. Mr. McFadden of Dresden, who exhibits it 

 here, has one tree of it standing in a favorable situation, east of the 

 Kennebec River, and he speaks very highly of it. 



