38 
AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
novelties in our great state exhibits. Varieties like Winesap, Jonathan and 
Grimes could not be relied on to give profitable returns but little north of 
the forty-first parallel. 
Such facts suggested abundant reasons for the breeding of new and 
adapted varieties for this great inland region, and whether we sought to 
solve this problem through intelligent selection or by the more scientific 
process of crossing known selected varieties, it was, even then, unfortunately, 
too much a game of chance, as we knew little or nothing of the inheritance 
of varieties with which we had to deal. 
Lacking knowledge of the pedigree of varieties, we have deemed it 
highly prudent to select and to cross-breed a large number of our best 
adapted kinds, for, as the stock breeder would say, we cannot he sure what 
two individuals will “nick” to our liking. And so, from the seeds of the 
Russians and Siberian hybrids and our best seedlings, and from the cross- 
bred seed of our very finest apples, we have, during the last forty-five years, 
helped in laying the foundation for a higher and more stable pomology in 
the Northwest. 
From the seeds of two splendid specimens of the Oldenburg, we origi- 
nated the Patten. 
From a moderate planting of the seeds of the Fameuse, in separate years,, 
we obtained the Eastman and the Iowa Brilliant. 
From one selected seed of the Ben Davis, open almost exclusively to 
pollination by the Jonathan, the Silas Wilson was originated, which so far 
as the writer has seen, is the best seedling of the Ben Davis. 
Seeds from one selected apple of the Blue Pearmain, have given us a 
better tree than the parent, finer foliage, and an apple rivaling the Jonathan 
or Grimes in quality, and a much better keeper than either. 
While it is granted that these are exceptional cases, they show the 
valuable results that may sometimes come from planting even a small 
number of seeds, but in a multitude of variety selections and crosses, there 
is safety. Doubtless it will be a matter of interest to many to learn of some 
of the principal varieties used in this breeding work. Oldenburg, Roman 
Stem, Patten, Jonathan, Malinda, Wolf River, Grimes, Pink Anis (Russian), 
Ben Davis, Westfield, Red Canada, Wealthy, Canada Baldwin, Winesap, 
Northwestern, Oliver, Green Sweet, Iowa Brilliant, White Pearmain and 
Blue Pearmain, Tolman (Sweet), English Russett, Stayman Winesap and 
Silas Wilson. It is proper here to state that the number of varieties from 
which this cross-breeding work has been drawn, including the “Selects” or 
products of semi-scientific breeding, where only the seed bearing parent is 
positively known, will enumerate more than one hundred kinds. 
By wise selection and cross-breeding we can produce anything that we 
desire, hardiness or adaptation, perfect form in tree, fitness in leaf, in bark 
in size of fruit, color, quality, and even a desirable distribution of fruit on 
the tree. The individual may not be able to accomplish all of this, but the 
Government and State Stations are. 
Color in Fruits. 
During many years of experience and observation, I am led to conclude 
that the pollen bearing parent has a greater, and, in some instances, a 
