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profitable of the early apples, and being a compact grower may be. planted closely. 

 It is a beautiful, clean and thrifty tree, but is subject to disease of the bark, and on 

 that account requires constant watchfulness. I feel inclined to assert that these 

 are the best four early apples to plant in the greater part of the Province of 

 Quebec, combining hardiness, healthiness, fruitfulness, early bearing, beauty and 

 good marketing qualities in a greater degree than any others, besides being not 

 difficult as to the character of the soil. 



Red Astrachan, a variety that is grown with profit in some localities, cannot 

 compete with those mentioned in any of the features indicated, unless in that of 

 beauty. Ics fine colour is in its favour. In a favourable situation, where the soil is 

 rich, deep and cool, it may piay, though probably under such conditions any one of 

 those mentioned would surpass it. 



The Alexander demands almost similar conditions for its successful production. 



The St. Lawrence, one of the best apples, is less planted now than formerly. In 

 many localities it is uncertain and capricious. Occasionally it is found to be a light 

 annual bearer, generally fair, but sometimes spotted and cracked. In fact, it is not a 

 profitable commercial apple. 



Cellini, an apple of che season of Alexander and St. Lawrence, is, I believe, com- 

 ing to the front. It is a large, fine cooking iruit, almost rivalling the Alexander in 

 size and better in quality. It is a moderate annual bearer, and the tree is amongst 

 the hardiest, and of a thrifty disposition. It is not so well known and widely planted 

 as it deserves to be. 



Wealthy, an apple of the season of the Fameuse, is a variety of which too much 

 cannot well be said. It is a more universally useful apple than any other with 

 which I am acquainted, uniting in itself almost every desirable feature of a first-rate 

 fruit. It is as hardy as the Duchess, and as early a bearer ; it is as fruitful as the 

 Fameuse, and rivals it in size, shape, colour and quality, and keeps fully as long. It 

 reaches a good size quite early in the season and cooks well, and up to this date I 

 believe has shown no tendency to spot. As a shipper it will prove about equal to 

 the Fameuse. Its weak point is, a tendency to bark diseases. Nothing is perfect. 



A more beautiful apple, if possible, and a larger, is the so-called Winter St. 

 Lawrence, but it is not so productive, and is decidedly tender in the colder and 

 bleaker sections. 



There are very few sorts that can be called winter apples that are at all widely 

 grown, and no one sort that can be singled out and declared to be generally suitable for 

 cultivation in the Province of Quebec as such. Quite a few are found occasionally 

 being successfully grown. 



In the counties of Huntingdon, Chateauguay and Beauharnois, in several orchards 

 the Northern Spy is found doing very well — most frequently in strong, deep, cool 

 soil. 



The same may be said of the Ben Davis, Golden Eusset and Blue Pearmain. 

 But there are more than enough of failures to prevent any one planting any of these 

 varieties extensively. One very promising sort, especially in the cool, strong soils, is 

 the Canada Baldwin. It is hardy, a good and heavy bearer of fair-sized apples of fine 

 quality, that keep well and ship well. Its weak point is that on all but the deepest 

 and coolest soils it sun-scalds, and the bark splits on the south side and, as a conse- 

 quence, it dies early. Its many good qualities should induce orchardists who have 

 suitable soil to plant it largely. It is the only purely Canadian long-keeping apple 

 that can be grown in our Province. 



Scott's Eed Winter is highly spoken of by some who have grown it, but is 

 very small and exceedingly sour until quite late in the spring, and at my place is far 

 from being hardy. 



The great need of our Province is a long keeping apple — one that shall combine 

 the quality of the Northern Spy with the beauty of the Winter St. Lawrence, the 

 fruitfulness of the Fameuse and the hardiness of the Duchess. One that might be 

 planted in any situation, like the Duchess, for example, with some promise of success. 

 Such a variety would be of incalculable benefit to the whole country. Let us hope 



