46 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



AN ESTIMATE OF APPLES. 



r^R. T. H. HOSKINS, excellent authority upon pomological matters, 

 Igj notes the statement that not more than one tree in twenty-five (some 

 say not more than one in fifty) ever gives even one profitable crop ; 

 declares that his own experience is that common varieties pay less on 

 the same ground than potatoes, where there is a good local market 

 for the latter, but thinks, nevertheless, that, owing to the fact that we 

 must vary our crops, good orchard land — strong soil which may be too 

 rocky or uneven for convenient tillage — may well be set to apples by a 

 person young, industrious, persevering, and who will study the business. 

 But " the money " is in the best well known winter sorts to which the 

 locality is adapted. In reference to this important point we quote the 

 doctor's views in full, as expressed through Our Coutitry Home : 



" The American apple of which by far the larger quantity is sold, and at 

 a full price, is in quality third rate. This is the Ben Davis, the leading 

 market apple of the Mississippi valley. The Baldwin region is very 

 limited compared with the Ben Davis region. By this I mean the 

 Baldwin is a keeping and shipping apple. South of ^o° north latitude, 

 the Baldwin fails as a keeper, while north of 43° the tree fails in hardi- 

 ness. It also fails in the Mississippi valley everywhere. Ben Davis suc- 

 ceeds further north, further south, and further west, and is indeed en- 

 titled to stand first as the great American market apple ; but it has 

 not succeeded as an export apple for lack of quality. South of the Bald- 

 win region, on the Atlantic slope, unquestionably the finest commer- 

 cial keeping apple is the Yellow Newton Pippin — the Albemarle Pip- 

 pin of Virginia. Like the Baldwin, it is rather local as regards success, 

 but it succeeds much further south and is a much better apple, always 

 bringing a fancy price in Europe, where it is well known. In Pennsyl- 

 vania and Virginia the culture of this queen of apples is yet capable 

 of large and profitable extension. It is just about as much better as the 

 Ben Davis is poorer than the Baldwin. Further north than the 

 Ben Davis will thrive, there has been, until lately, no great commer. 

 cial apple which would endure the winters and be remunerative. But 

 in the Wealthy, of Minnesota, such an apple has appeared. Like the 

 Baldwin, it is apt to become unsound in the trunk, and will unquestion- 

 ably prove most profitable when grafted in the tops of ironclad varie- 

 ties having sound bodies. Some Wealthies have already been shipped 

 to England from Canada, and received with great approval. The dis- 

 covery of this variety has extended profitable apple culture at least 100 

 miles further north, and given to the St. Lawrence valley a good export 

 fruit." 



