8o 
AMERICAN POMOEOGICAE SOCIETY 
begun to bear some fruit. From the behavior of these trees up to the pres- 
ent time, I should not be justified in predicting that apple growing as an in- 
dustry would have any future in Alaska. But on the other hand, certain 
aspects of the subject may give color to the hope that it is possible to 
develop varieties of apples which may be suited to the climate. The founda- 
tion for this hope lies in the fact that a species of crab apple ( Py rus rivul- 
aris) is indigenous to the Coast Region of Southeastern Alaska. Normally 
it grows in thickets on the rocky shores of the numerous bays and inlets, 
and it partakes of the nature of both bush and tree. It frequently sends out 
a number of stems from the same root. In time one or more of these may 
become dominant, so that if the smaller shoots are cut away, we shall have 
left a miniature tree, from ten to eighteen feet in height. It grows always 
in well drained situations, the foundation is usually the solid rock, on which 
one to two or more feet of humus have accumulated from the decay of mosses 
and other plants. The roots spread over the rocks, and are held in place 
by the accumulated black humus. It loves the mist of the salt water, and I 
have never seen it grow very far from the Coast. It does not grow in peat 
bogs, but always in situations where water does not stand. Toward the 
last of June, or in the beginning of July, it produces clusters of very fragrant 
small white or slightly pinkish blossoms, and these are followed by the 
rapid development of clusters of very small but perfect apples, oblong in 
shape, russet, varying to a dull red in color. These little apples ripen in the 
beginning of October, and from them can be made a most delicious apple 
jelly, a delicacy which figures prominently on the tables of Alaskian house- 
wives. Even the squaws have learned to appreciate its jelly-making qual- 
ities. This species maybe, and doubtless will be, made the foundation of the 
future pomology of Alaska. It is at home in the climate of the Coast region; 
it thrives in the sour, peaty soil, it matures its fruits in the cool summer, and 
there seems to be no good reason why it should not be amalgamated with es- 
tablished varieties which produce larger fruit, and eventually by this means 
develop apples worthy of the name. 
As stated, I planted a small test orchard in 1903. In 1911 some of these 
trees showed their first fruit. They were Yellow Transparent, Hyslop, 
Hibernal, Whitney and iSylvan Sweet, which it will be noticed are either 
crabs or have crab blood. In 1911 the season was favorable, the summer was 
comparatively long, and good weather continued until the middle of October, 
and these apples matured, the Yellow Transparent heading the list. In 
latitude 49, this variety is a very early summer apple, and in latitude 57, 
it is a late fall variety at best. From this fact we may draw the conclusion 
that it is useless to expect any but the earliest summer varieties to ever 
be of any value in Alaska. The summers are too cool, and the seasons 
too short for fall or winter apples to mature there. 
In 1912 these same varieties fruited again, but the cold weather began 
early, and the apples were not quite matured when fall set in. In 1913, that 
is to say last spring, nearly every tree in the small orchard blossomed pro- 
fusely, and to my great delight, a very large proportion of the blossoms 
set fruit; in fact, they were set too thick, and I thought it advisable to thin 
them when the apples attained the size of small hazel nuts. This was done 
with care in the latter part of July. I then started for a trip in the 
