Deliciotis. 

 This is one of the newer apples, but is one of promise and is 

 being fairly largely set in some sections. It promises to be a 

 good variety of high quality to follow the Mcintosh as a 

 dessert apple. It originated in Iowa, but seems to be taking 

 decidedly to New England conditions, and some excellent 

 fruit of this variety is being grown in various parts of the 

 State. The tree is a good grower, comes into bearing fairly 

 early, and is said to bear annually. Conclusive evidence on 

 this last point is lacking as yet for this State. The fruit is 

 handsome in color, of good quality, though apt to lose its 

 qualitj^ fairly quickly and become mealy. Its name and 

 advertising make it popular in the market. It is probably 

 not to be recommended for general planting as yet, but cer- 

 tainly is a variety of promise. 



Yelloiv Transparent, Red Astrachan and Williams Early. 



The two former varieties are Russian in origin, while the 

 Williams is a Massachusetts production. All three of these 

 are grown as early apples more or less freely in many sections 

 of the State, the Yellow Transparent, coming in the last of 

 July or the first of August, followed by Red Astrachan and 

 then by Williams. For early varieties there are at present 

 no others which can compete with them, though all of them 

 have their shortcomings, — the Yellow Transparent being 

 yellow in color, easily bruised and making rather a poor tree; 

 the Red Astrachan being slow in coming into bearing and not 

 producing freely; and the Williams being a poor, sprawling 

 tree and not prolific. 



In the writer's opinion the foregoing list of varieties com- 

 prises the best sorts for Massachusetts orchards. Other 

 varieties which are fairly popular, but of which space will not 

 permit a detailed description, are Rhode Island Greening, 

 Northern Spy, Hubbardston, Palmer Greening, Winter Banana 

 and Opalescent. 



To sum up the writer's opinion on the variety question for 

 Massachusetts orchards it would be that for a commercial 

 orchard nothing but a red apple should be set. The five 



