The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-05-11

prOmOloIlSts Whoss' approval Us praise
indeed"
Thus the venerable Charles Down
ing, author of the new "Fruit and
Fruit Trees of America" writes to us
Mr.. A. Webster sent me specimens Of
the Mortified Beauty Crab, hybrid
raised by Leonard d. Cady, Mortified,
Washington county, VT, the fruit of
which Is as large as the EARLY Harvest,
and of good quality" In another
letter, commenting upon nm assortment
of crab-hybrids, Mr.. Downing says of
the "Rose of Stnnstead," "This is the
most beautiful of all, and quite good.r
John J. Thomas, author of THE
American Fruit Culturist," who |
attended the last fruit meeting" of our
Board of Agriculture, on Grand Isle, in |
reviewing the exhibition of Siberians.
said he Twas highly pleased to see the
great improvement in these crab-hy-
birds over the old kinds, and as they
seemed to be hardy everywhere, he did
not despair of seeing good apples yet
grown in all parts of the United States.'
Mr. Thomas added that "he thought
he never tasted better or more delicious
apples than the Geneva or Lady Elgin
Siberian"
In letter before us, Mr.. G. G..
Pringle, of Charlotte, --unquestionably
the abIest pomologist our state can
boast, and hardly second to any of his
age in the country-says of another
crab-hybrid Have I told you about
Bailey's Crimson Crab which fruted
for the first time last season? I will
not hesitate to say that it is the best
apple ever ate. You must see that
this is saying a great deal in its praise,
since, as you know, my collection of
apples of all sorts is very large And
you know how wary | have been of
crabs. | surrender, however, to this
one."
Mr.. P>ingle has himself produced a
crab hybrid, "Pringle's Sweet" which,
in our judgment, is surpassed 10y few
sweet apples in richness of flavor The
market test has been applied TO this
variety, and five dollars barrel has
been offered for it by retailers.
All of these varieties, and number
of others of almost equal merit, though
not large apples, are of respectable size.
Thus Mr.. Pringle says of Baley's
Crimson that 'the fruit is from one and
/ hal ~
''Prlngle'a Sweet" is of about the same
size, and the following varieties equal
or exceed it, viz: Marengo Winter
Barton Scarlet, Minnesota. Meader's
Winter, General Grant, Mackie's
Beauty. Dartmouth Crab, Beadle's
Sweet, Chase's Winter Sweet, and
Maiden's Blush. This list might be in
creased 10y the addition OF number of
others of much excellence, but we
appreciate fully the force of some re-
marks of Mr.. Downing, who says: II
fear those who are introducing the new
crab apples will over do the matter
with an endless number, too much
alike. IL the growers would have
meeting, and consult and decide on
half dozen of the best, it would be
much better for all parties.n
In regard TO the real value of these
crab-hybrids as a market fruit there is
but one objection, which is the small
size of all of them, compared with
popular favorites. such us Baldwins.
Northern Spys, Spitzenburgs, etc, etc.
This is probably an unsurmountable
objection, since such very superior ap-
pies as the Famcuse, Pomme Grise,
and even the Golden Russet. cannot ho
advantageously marketed in competi.
ton with the larger sorts. "A few, as
MIR. Thomas remarked at Grand Isle,
would no doubt meet with sale for orna-
mental table purposes, for which their
great beauty Of color, and peculiar var
nished skin, especially fits Them. For
this use they would come into COM
petition with the Lady Apple,u and
easily drive that variety OUT Of the
market.
In giving this opinion upon the
inhrketaDillty OF the Siberans We are
speaking of the general market in the
large towns and cities. In local
markets, az soon as they become
known, we suspect that they would.
meet with quite Il sale as is shown, in
deed, by the willingness of dealers to
buy the "Pringle Sweet, when we ex-
hiLited it to them.
We have no doubt that, in time
varieties will be produced from this
stock that will reach large size. But,
at present, excellent as a humber of
the varieties are proving themselves
for home use, we cannot counsel the
setting out of large orchards of these
hybrid Siberians. Let each one, who
has location where other sorts fail.
try them, selecting the best, and we
are sure they will, in very few Years.
thank us for the advice. - Waterman &
Journal