Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-15
The Most Profitable Varieties.

Suel Foster of Muscatine, Iowa, refer
ring to an article of ours on "Almost |
Hardy Apples" writes that he was much |
interested in it, and also in a list we gave of |
twelve perfectly hardy sorts, of which he
SAYS: " Your list of twelve standard varie-
ties, besides two hundred fifty trees of mis-
cellaneous kinds, are not all equally profita-
BILE. This is what have been trying to
impress upon our fruit growers for some
years past. Some of your experience is diff
ferent from what l should expect. The
Red Astrachan and Alexander should sup
pose would stand your climate. But Mus
catne is not as hard in winter-killing as
Newport, nor is Massachusetts as hard as
Muscatine, although we are further south.
Iowa has to be divided into three districts,
each with its own list of fruits, as you see
by our reports. There is great loss from
not knowing the most profitable varieties.
Although we have some evidence that the
Willow Twig will last, as tree, longer
may be twice as long-as Ben Davis, yet it
may be more profitable to replant the Ben
Davis second time during the life of the
Willow Twig, on account of its earlier and
more profuse bearing. My list for profit is
Duchess of Oldenburgh, Wealthy, and Ben
Davis or Willow Twig, until the race is
more definitely settled between the two lat
ter. was glad to see you put my favorite
Wealthy ahead. With me it produced its
first fruit at three years from the root-graft.
From that time to this have ON all proper
occasions given it high recommendation.
Like Garfield, it now stands elected and is
independent This is good place to sell
apples. | sold one thousand fifty barrels to
one man last fall, over one thousand barrels
of Ben Davis and Willow Twig, from seven
acres"
Muscatine, Iowa, where Mr.. Foster lives,
is, we think, about on a par with that part
of Franklin county within ten miles of Lake
Champlain in regard to the severity of its
winters. Upper Franklin and Orleans coun-
ties are more like Minnesota. Ben Davis
and Fameuse both grow and bear with us,
but they both suffer from hard winters, and
cannot be long lived. In their place we
have planted mostly of Wealthy and Scott's
Winter The Wealthy is superior to Fa-
meuse in hardness, keeping and size, and
nearly equal in quality. Scott's Winter is
far harder than Ben Davis, and better in
quality both for cooking and eating, but not
so large. Both are equal to any apple, and
far superior to most in productiveness
Either, with good treatment, will begin to
average bushel of fruit to the tree five
years from planting. Our list for profit is
Yellow Transparent tAugust)
Duchess OF Oldenburg (September).
Wealthy October to March,.
Scott's Winter February to july.
This spans the year, and fills the cellar.
There are other varieties we would not be
without for home use but which have some
defect which Injuries them as commercial
apples. One of the best of these is North
field Beauty, of the same season as Wealthy,
but too tender for shipment. Fameuse Su-
ere is the best of all eating apples of its
season (September and October), but we
doubt whether it will prove productive
enough for profit. The same may be said
of number of other nice kinds.