The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-10-25


WE think we were the first nursery
man in the United States to supply a
variety of fruit trees for trial in Aroos-
took, the only apple then extensively
planted there being the Duchess of
Oldenburgh, which had been lately in
troduced from the province of New
Bruins wick, under the name of Bruins
wicker" We have just received from
the Hon. Parker p. Burleigh of Lin
neus, Me-, (whom we then supplied
with such varieties as we were at that
time growing in nursery, the Report
of Premiums awarded for tree fruits at
the recent Aroostook county fair.
Those given to apples numbered fifty,
of which Mr.. Burleigh received twenty
four.
THE south line of Aroostook county
is at least one hundred miles north OF
the north line of Vermont; but the
low altitude of that enthusiastically
more than 200 feet above the sea level
more than compensates for the dis
lance north, so that Mr.. Burleigh finds
himself able to exhibit samples of va
rieties which are not success with us.
We hardly think they will be perma-
nently successful in Aroostook; but
the developments from amongst the
large number of Russian apples, and
other tree fruits, which have been i'm
ported-especially the Budd and Glib
importation made ten years since-will
in time enable every portion of north
ern New England to grow choice ex-
portable apples, equal in quality, and
far superior in productiveness aud free
dom from disease, to anything yet
known. -
IN the Maine Agricultural Report for
1886 - eight years ago-is printed a
paper, contributed by us, ON the "Iron-
clad Tree Fruits" illustrated with thir-
teen cuts of what were then supposed
to be the best apples and pears of the
Budd-Gibb importation. This was but
very small proportion of the whole
number imported; but in all of those
there illustrated. not one has proved to
be an all-winter keeper in our part of
Vermont, though we believe that a
part of them have been found pretty
fair keepers in Aroostook. 1t takes a
good while to fairly test hundred or
more varieties of tree fruits, and as the
time wore on, and one variety after
another gave fruit which failed to keep
beyond the holiday season, the only
thing which hope could cling to for en-
enlargement was the fact that still
many kinds yet remained to test; and
also that other fact, that of our we'll
known apples of native origin only a
comparatively small number are at the
same time good keepers and valuable
market sorts. But it never pays to be
discouraged where only patience and
perseverance will succeed; and we are
able to say, at last, that there are among
the Russian apples at least four or five
sorts which are proving to be good
keepers under strict testing, and that
among them is one which is every
way as large, good, handsome, healthy
and productive as the famous and favor
lite Bald win-in fact, true Russian
Baldwin-which has been pronounced
by first-class authority to be 4" as good
as the Baldwin at its best" 1t is sim
gular that this apple so closely resem'
bles the Baldwin that expert apple
men have decided it to be that variety
until they tasted it, when its distinct
superiority as dessert fruit was al
once recognized.
THERE is every probability that
among the long lists of Russian apples
imported, but as yet unheard from,