The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-10-13
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD
OF AGRIlULTURE, AT GRAND
lsLE, SEPT. 10TH. OCT lST.

member of the Board, and who is perform.
ing the duties Of Secretary Of the Board
during the illness Of Prof. Collier.
Notwithstanding the rain Of the night
before and Of the morning, and the mud.
dy roads, the meeting was large.
Mr., John A. Chamberlin of Grand
isle was chosen to preside over the sever.
al meetings, which duty Mr.. c., perform.
ed easily, and acceptaby. The meeting
was opened by reading paper by Mr..
Albert Chapman of Middlebury, on
What varieties of apples shall we plant
in western Vermont ~ This paper was
in answer to young gentleman who ask.
ed the writer some days before the meet.
ing, to name six varieties OF summer, and
fall, and twelve kinds OF winter apples
that would be profitable to plant in west.
ern Vermont
The writer stated that so much depend.
ed upon soil and location, that the ques.
tion was very difficult one to answer,
without making great many qualiGca-
tions. AS an instance, the Baldwin was
named as giving an abundance Of fine
fruit on light soils, and favorable loca-
tions, but not proving good or hardy on
heavy soils and 10 many localities. The
most successful, fruit growers will seldom
agree upon all the varieties-they will rec.
ommend, On come soils some do well,
while perhaps in another locality in sight,
on the same farm, and perhaps in the
same field, the same kinds may fail to
prove profitable Again, tastes differ so
much, that for family use, many kinds
ere desirable, while for market, very
few kinds will! yield the greatest profit.
Many kinds that do well near the Lake
fail in the higher regions Of the noun
tains. Thus it would not be wise to plant
the same kinds in both places The writ
er asked an experienced Fruit Grower of
Addison County to name the best eigh.
teen varieties, his reply was there want
so many that it was advisable to name.
The varieties finally recommended as
likely to do well in most localities in
western Vermont. were, Early Harvest,
Red Astracan, Porter, Early Sweet
l}ough, Jersey Sweet, Gravenstein, Fam.
ense, Rhode Island, Greetings, Baldwins,
Northern Spy, Green Sweet, Tallman,
Sweet, Golden Russell, Yellow BelleAeur,
King Of Tompkins Co., Hubbardston,
Nonsuch, Jonathan. Wagner.
Three kinds that were much liked,
hardy and profitable in Addison County
were named, Cornwall Golden Sweet, Ia
much better or more valuable than that
of the same name described in the books
the Tinmouth, and what is known in Corn.
wall as the Sweet Winter Spitzenberg
OF the eighteen named. the Red As
tIacan, the Faueuse, the Jonathan, til
Northern Spy, the Yellow Bele6eur and
the Tallman Sweet, were the most hardy
The Sweet Bough. Gravenstein, Hubbard
sion, Nonsuch and the Baldwin were the
most tender. The fruit OF the Prmatc
was very highly commended, and was the
tree as hardy as the Red Astracan, it
would be preferable TO that variety.
Some Of the newer crabs or Hybrids of
that specie with the better apples were to
be commended in many localities, where
petter apples were tendcT.
After the paper was read. the subject
cfthe most desirable varieties to plant in
Vermont, was discussed, and the success
and failures of different kinds we're COM
mented upon bv the meinbcrs of the meet
ing.
Mr.. Gold said that il the object was to
plant for family use, the number should
be largo but if for market for profit, it
should be very small
be would recommend the English
Russell as proving very profitable, as a
market fruit i'll Connecticut. Mr.. Gold
was answered by Vermonters, who most
of them thought the English Russell had
not proved as valuable in Vermont as the
Roxbury Russet, or the Golden Russell
but this was dissented from by Others who
thought it had proved good, all though
it hardy.
MIR. Thomas thought it was not gener
Sly to be commended for most localities
10 western New York the Golden Russo
had proved more profitable.
One gentleman whose name escaped Us
stated that the Russets should be PLANTED
in good deep soii, and we'll cultivated, t,
give fruit well matured and good quality
which opinion was generally assented to
The Porter was next introduced, anC
generally commended for its excellence
but some thought the tree weak grower
and when the soil was poor and unculr
waited, the fruit was apt to be poor. Mos
testified 10 favor of the Porter
The Gravenstein was favorahly notice,
by some, but generally the tree had no
proved the hardest.
The Dutch Mignone Was noticed qen
orally with disfavor.
The Pomme Grise was commended
tor its hardness, good quality of its lon
keeping fruit, and bearing qualities; bu
the size was small and its appeara &c
was 40, attractive II had formerly bee
extensively cultivated on the Island, an
marketed in Montreal, where it brough
dollar more per barrel than any othe
fruit, aud il still maintained its superior
ity there
The reports Of lha Red Astracan wer
different, but all testified to its hardines.
and generally to its other good qualitie!
especially TO its attractive appearance an
its good cooking qualities
The Baldwin was generally recomm nc
cd as great bearer OF toe fruit, Iha
found good market, aud none were vi
ling to give up its cultivation thoug
most had found il tender.
In reply to question as 10 grairin
such varieties AS the Baldwin, STANDARD
high MIR. Thomas gave it as his opnio
that it made but little difference, br
thought that the only real advantag
gained from grating on different s'oc
was in dwarsng, which made the wood
ripen earlier, and made them harder
MIR. Thomas suggested that all person
present who had had experience, write O
slip Of paper, six names of apples nh
in their Indictment moved most profifah