I^ORTHERivI PLAi'IT NOVELTIES FOR 19S9 
t7i li baputment of Agiioidtnre. 
Department of Horticulture, Experiment Station, South Dakota State College 
Brookings, South Dakota, February 20, 1959 
This department does not conduct a commercial nursery, but propagates and dis¬ 
tributes nevj varieties originated in this department or imported from similar cli¬ 
mates of the Old World. Many acres of seedling fruits have been grown since the 
work was started in 1895. The improvement in size and quality of each plant gener¬ 
ation is greater year by year. Hybridization and selection are the main methods of 
improvement. The work has been honored by four medals awarded to Dr. N. E. Hansen 
and by extensive propagation and planting of many of the new varieties. The medals 
are: The George Robert White gold medal of honor for "eminent service in horti¬ 
culture" by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 1917; the Marslia.ll P. Y/ilder 
silver medal by the American Pomological Society for new fruits, 1929; gold medal 
for public service by Cosmopolitan club, Sioux Falls, 1935; A. P. Stevenson gold 
medal for new fruits by the Manitoba Horticultural Society, 1955. 
A host of new seedling fruits and roses are coming on, which will be sent out 
as soon as they are deemed to be up to standard. 
Some of the material in this list is offered for distribution to plant breeders 
to help in the work of improving hardy fruits and roses elsewhere. 
Terms : The money received from the sale of pl8.nts makes it possible to do the 
work on a larger scale than would othervdse be possible. Those who have followed the 
progress of the work for many years know the importance of ordering promptly, as soon 
as this list is received, as the supply of plcsnts is limited. Terras are cash with 
order: No credit except to the Government Experiment Stations. For South Dakota 
orders add three per cent to the above prices for State Retail Sales T8.x. 
Northern Novulties in Fruits and Roses 
The following new introductions by Dr. N. E. Hansen, Emeritus Professor of 
Horticulture, are worthy additions to his long list of hardy fruits and roses: 
Fruits Already Introduced : Scions of nevj fruits listed in earlier lists v^rill 
be supplied as far as available at 50 cents per foot. 
Four New Hardy Blight-resistant Pears 
Yerraak Pear - Offered for the first time. A remarkable tree. In this pear 
hardiness and resistance to blight is combined with excellent quality. Pedigree: 
Sechel x East Siberian pear ( Pyrus Ussuriensis) pollen. In the fruit, the Seckel, 
the highest in quality of all pears grown in America, contributes superb quality; 
and in tree the Siberian pear gives extreme hardiness. Resistance to fireblight 
comes from both parents. Upon the original tree, much crowded in the seedling rows, 
the fruit is not large, about the same as ‘^eckel, the seed parent. Season, early 
October. (Yermak, the Cossack conqueror of Siberia about 400 years ago). Only 
scions available, per foot fl.OO. 
Finsib Pear - Offered for the first time. Pedigree: Finland Early Yellow^ x 
Saponsky. The Finland Yellow Early pear was brought from Russia. The Saponsky is 
Pyrus Ussuriensis of East Siberia. Tne Finsib pear is 2 x 2 inches, globular, acute 
pyriform, yellow with minute russet dots. Stem long, up to 2 t inches. Flesh juicy, 
melting; quality excellent. (Name from Finland, Siberia). Only scions available, 
per foot, fl.OO. 
Tanya Peer - Offered for the first time. A red Irte-keeping pear of medium 
size and good quality. Pedigree: Ideal x East Siberian ( Pyrus Ussuriensis ) pea,r 
pollen. Hardy, blight-resistant. First exhibited at the State Fair, Huron, South 
Dakota, 1958. Only scions available, per foot, .fl.OO. 
Selenga Pear - Offered for the first time. Pedigree: Saponsky (East Siber¬ 
ian Pyrus Ussuriensis ) x White Doyenne pear pollen. Fruit oblong pyriform, 1 5/4 
inches across, 2^ inches deep, yellow with minute russet dots, quality excellent, 
season October. Tree productive and blight-resistant. (Selenga, a river in East 
Siberia). Only scions available, per foot, $1.00. 
Taming the Native American Apple 
This work is making steady progress. The size of the fruit in the new seed¬ 
lings increases veer by year. The largest the pest year wes Watopa, 2 7/8 inches 
across; the pedigree is Elk River, Minnesota x Jonathan nipple pollen; in the fruit 
there is much red color over the green; evidently the Jonathan contributes both 
size and color. 
These hybrids are evidently a new fruit, one that can be frozen solid out¬ 
doors all winter, and can be thawed out at any time and cooked. Most or all of the 
native acerbity is removed by the freezing. The tests this winter confirm the pre¬ 
liminary tests of last winter. The idea is not new as the Indians centuries ago 
cached or buried the wild crabs in the earth all winter. This was the only apple 
the Indians knew before tlie v/hite man came. These tests are still in progress. 
