The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-30
Mann, Pewaukee and HOas.

"Mr. Editor Enclosed find descrip-
ton of the M ann apple. Is It trues Do
you consider it, from actual acquaintance,
an apple that you could recomm end ?
Purchasers are quite liable to be imposed
upon. The last trees / bought were
couple of Hoas, supposing was getting
something very desirable. l have since
learned, as the trees have not yet fruited,
that this apple is very inferior one. I
design to fill up few vacancies, and want
to set the most desirable kinds of winter
fruit-all things taken into account. If
the Mann will back up this recommends
ton it will suffice. An "apple-tree man"
who has had quite an experience in sell.
ing trees says this apple is great favorite
in New Hampshire. This variety sells
better than anything else he can offer.
A word of reply in THE WArcHMAN
would be read with pleasure.
d. T. AvERILL, Mortified, VT"
The description enclosed by Mr.. Averill
was as follows: "The Mann apple is very
large and attractive. As hardy as a crab,
standing uninjured where the thermome-
ter falls to forty-two degrees below zero.
The tree comes into bearing very early.
1t grows to be very large tree. Fruit
sub-acid, very juicy, and remains sprightly
to the last. 1t keeps into the summer,
thus affording fine juicy apple to take
the place of the dry and insipid Russell.
Every one who has garden should have
the Mann, and for market apple it is
unsurpassed, as it keeps till most other
sorts are gone. The tree is profuse
bearer. Be sure and ask for Mann and
Pewaukee, which is sometimes called
Winter Duchess, from its being a Seeding
of the Duchess of Oldenburg."
We desire to avoid all errors in speak
ing of new fruits, for while it is important
that worthless kinds, or kinds of little
value, should be avoided, it is also de-
sirable that kinds thought to be de-
sirable should have fair trial. But
to plant out an orchard of new kinds
not thoroughly tested is good deal
more than a fair trial. One or two
trees is enough to begin with. The Mann
apple has been before the public as a
valuable new and hardy variety of winter
fruit for some dozen years or more. 1t is
described in Downing's First Appendix
QS72), page 81, as chance seeding in
the orchard of Judge Mooney of CRANKY,
N. Y, and as being hardy, an upright
grower, an early and annual bearer, late
keeper, valuable for market and cooking,
and fair table fruit. Size, medium to
large. 1t has much the appearance of the
Rhode Island Greening.
We believe that this is correct de-
scription in all particulars, but we must
take the word hardy" as meaning hardy
in New York. The last Report of the
American Pathological Society QS83)
gives it one star for New York, one fol-
Michigan and one for Nebraska. 1t il
also noted as ON trial in Vermont, Rhode
Island and Colorado. No other STATE
mentions it. In the last (lSS3) Mich
gan Horticultural Report it is spoken o.
as promising" But when we come Il
the colder sections we find nothing favora
BILE in regard to this apple. 1t is not rec
commended even for trial, or for favorabl,
localities, in Wisconsin, Minnesota, low
or Quebec.
Our own experience of the Mann il
very unfavorsble as to its hardness. w
have received cions of it, from two differ
ent sources, which proved to be identical
One of these was the late j. X. Tobey
secretary of the Vermont State Grange
The trees grown from these cions killed
back badly every winter, and proved sc
tender that we did not offer any for sale