396 The Commercial Apple Industry 



Baldwin (Plate XXI). 



Approximately 50 per cent of the commercial apple 

 production in New York and New England consists of 

 Baldwins. This variety is said to have originated as a 

 chance seedling in Massachusetts in about 1740. While 

 its culture is largely confined to these states, to Michigan 

 and the northern parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania, it is 

 the leading commercial apple in the United States. The 

 question of selecting Baldwin for commercial planting 

 outside of this region should be considered very carefully, 

 but within these confines it is almost invariably a wise 

 choice. 



In more southern latitudes, the fruit ripens early and 

 tends to drop prematurely, while in northern New York 

 and upper New England the wood sometimes winter-kills. 

 The tree is strong, large and vigorous, the many old Bald- 

 win orchards in western New York testifying to its long- 

 evity. While somewhat late in coming to full bearing, and 

 once matured inclined to biennial bearing, in total pro- 

 duction the Baldwin tree is one of the heavy bearers, and 

 in commercial importance it stands preeminent. The 

 ideal Baldwin soil is a fine sandy loam underlaid by plas- 

 tic light clay or heavy silt loam. The fruit is of good 

 quality, stands shipment and keeps comparatively well, 

 although it sometimes develops Baldwin spot both before 

 and after picking. The Baldwin crop is shipped almost 

 exclusively in barrels and much of it is used for culinary 

 purposes. The selling price, while not the highest, is 

 usually firm. The variety figures prominently in the ex- 

 port trade. 



