APPLES 
VARIETIES OF APPLES TO PLANT 
In selecting varieties it is impossible 
to give advice except in a general way. 
The conditions of climate and soil and 
the circumstances of the orchardist are 
so different that each one must deter- 
mine for himself, after a few general 
facts and principles are presented. In 
the first place, much depends on whether 
the planter wants a family or commer- 
cial orchard. If he is planting a family 
orchard, he will probably select one or 
more trees of the very earliest varieties 
adapted to his section of the country, and 
will choose varieties maturing later, so 
that the fruit will be fit for use each 
month until late in the autumn, when 
he will pick and store his winter fruit. 
If he is planting a commercial orchard 
he may largely disregard his own taste 
and that of his family and select only 
those varieties that are heavy and regular 
annual bearers, good keepers, good ship- 
pers, and those that bring high prices 
in the market. In doing this he is de- 
ferring to the demands of the market and 
is planting those varieties for which the 
public will pay the highest price. It is 
money he wants, and for this reason he 
does not seek to gratify his own pe- 
culiarities of taste. He will, therefore, 
consult the markets and learn the aver- 
age price paid for certain varieties. 
Local conditions often affect the choice 
of varieties. For instance, the Wagener 
apple is well adapted to the uplands of 
Eastern Washington, but it is not the 
best adapted to the lower levels of the 
irrigated sections of that state, and pro- 
duced under these conditions would be 
considered a third grade apple. The 
Wolf River may be good for certain sec- 
tions of the country; we see it recom- 
mended for planting in nearly all of the 
districts of the central and northern sec- 
tions of the United States: but in the low- 
er elevations, especially in the irrigated 
sections, it is not considered a high grade 
apple—it is too large, punky and lacks 
flavor. The Rome Beauty and the De- 
licious are among the very best apples 
in the higher elevations of Central Wash- 
ington, but it is questionable whether 
as products of the lower valleys they 
181 
will be so highly regarded. However, 
the Rome Beauty has been before the 
public long enough to establish itself, 
and to make a reputation which places 
it among the higher grades of apples. 
The Delicious has since its introduction 
to the markets brought higher prices 
than any other apple, but is one of the 
new varieties which may or may not hold 
its place for a long period of time 
in competition with others. There 
are varieties that have a wide range of 
adaptability. The Winesap, Jonathan, 
Esopus Spitzenburg, Grimes Golden, 
Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Rome Beauty, 
Newtown Spitzenburge and Tompkins 
King are among the varieties that adapt 
themselves to varied conditions from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific, and for the most 
part to the northern and central sec- 
tions of the United States. There are 
a few exceptions to this rule. The Yel- 
low Newtown is not so adaptable. It is 
one of the best apples in the world’s 
markets; it reaches a high state of per- 
fection in Albemarle county, Virginia, 
where it bears the name of Albemarle 
Pippin. It is also one of the best apples 
for Washington and Oregon, but is not 
so variously adaptable as the other vari- 
eties named. 
About the safest way for the planter 
is to take the advice of the professor of 
horticulture in the nearest experiment 
station, and of his neighbors, in order 
to know what results have been obtained 
by those who have tested the varieties 
of that section. For commercial orchard- 
ing, it is argued by men of large experi- 
ence, that it is better to plant but few 
varieties. One man planted 100 acres and 
chose Spitzenburgs, Newtowns and Wine- 
saps; another similarly located chose 
Winesaps, Jonathans and Rome Beauty. 
Here is a difference of opinion between 
two experienced and educated men. It 
is generally conceded that it is better 
to have more than one variety because 
the cross-pollination improves the qual- 
ity and quantity of fruit. Considering 
the value of an orchard of good commer- 
cial fruit, and considering the time it 
takes to bring it into bearing, the im- 
portance of wise selections is evident, but 
