THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLVIII 



fact being recognized, the main question is, How can this 

 disadvantage he overcome? Evidently the solution does 

 not consist in a steadfast refusal to face the situation 

 and vehement declaration that the fruit of any particular 

 district is the best that can be produced. Such tactics, 

 though well meant, can be permanently successful only 

 when the statements are justified by the facts. If apple 

 culture in Washington is to be maintained upon a sound 

 basis it will be necessary first of all that growers shall 

 exercise great care in planting to choose those varieties 

 most nearly in equilibrium with the environment in the 

 various sections of the state, at the same time avoiding 

 over-irrigation or other errors in orchard management 

 wliieh may tend to an unequal development of the char- 

 acters of the fruit, usually at the expense of quality. 

 Even this, however, may be but a temporary makeshift, 

 since few if any of the better varieties possess the re- 

 quisite power of adaptation. It will be necessary first of 

 all to determine if the variations which appear when 

 apples are grown from seed in the northwest are more 

 favorable in character than those which are displayed by 

 introduced varieties. If such should prove to be the case 

 the writer is under the conviction that the apple culture 

 of the northwest should ultimately he largely made over 

 on a basis of new varieties of local origin. A number of 

 such varieties have already appeared, hut unfortunately 

 some of them have been chosen with little regard for 

 quality. Xo work of greater value to the future horti- 

 culture of the region can be undertaken by the experiment 

 stations of the northwestern states than the development 

 of apple varieties of high quality and perfect adaptation 



Winesap and Stayman, though largely grown, shows in 

 general a poorer balance of characters. In the more 



fair degree of 

 ?opus, Yellow 



