The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-05-05
Promising and Unpromisinq New Va
ryefies of Fruits.


ticultural meeting than will the ques-
ton of varieties. This interest has
been in the past, is in the present,
and will be in the future
The reason why this interest, may
be answered, first, by the fact that
since the earliest days of pomology,
enthusiasts have tried constantly and
increasingly TO improve upon the va
rieties already in general use both by
naturalization and by selections from
seedlings which have been allowed to
fruit.
The second important reason why
this interest, may be answered by the
fact that with the ever changing hor-
ticultural and market conditions, the
variety that has been valuable and
profitable in the past may be worth
less to-day, and varieties which are
popular to-day may be back numbers
years hence. AS an example showing
this condition, we may take the va
riety Amsden' 5 June, which 50years ago
was shipped from the shores of west
ern Michigan, and brought fabulous
prices, but to-day is considered worth
less, except it may be tree or two
for home use.
So much for new varieties.
PROMISING AND UNPRoMISING.
In considering this part of our topic
we must have some definite standard
whereby we may judge that which
constitutes a promising or unpromis-
ing new variety of fruit.
Let us look at the definition of
promising, which is: Affording just
expectations of good, or reasonable
grounds of hope. Let us apply this
to a new variety of fruit, and our
hope and expectations are based upon
certain desirable characteristics which
the variety has shown, with hope
that other desirable qualities will de-
velop with further trial; also that such
undesirable qualities which it may
have shown may be subject TO condi-
tions which may be overcome.
We now come to those points upon
which we feel justified in marking
this or that variety as promising or
unpromising. In a promising new
variety the first important desirable
point in all classes of fruit is product
iveness, or at least our hopes are that
the variety will prove productive
which shows many other desirable
points. Hardness and vigor of tree,
bush or vine would follow next in
order.
At this point in our subject it would
seem best to enumerate the important
points for the different kinds of fruits
separately.
PEACHES.
Inasmuch as we are situated in a
fruit belt, where the peach, in acreage,
far exceeds other kinds of fruits, we
will give it first place iii Importance.
However, other kinds of fruit are and
can be fully as successfully grown in
the same territory. The peach is a
luscious fruit, naturally tender i'll
bud and tree, and the fruit is perish
able. With this in mind, promising
new variety must at least show part
of the number of following desirable
qualities: Hardness in bud, good
size, yellow flesh with red cheeks, a
freestone, firm enough for reasonable
shipping distance, with a season which
fills some break in a succession of va
rieties, or have more of the above de-
sirable qualities than some variety in
general use which it promises to sup
ercede: also show resistance to fungus
diseases such as curl leaf, brown rot,
etc., the latter being especially unde-
sirable. Fine quality is desirable,
but not essential.
The promising new varieties OF
peaches, as tested at the experiment
station for the season 1904, were Adj
iniral Dewey, Matthew's Beauty, EN-
ma, WEIGH, Worth, Frances and Ban
ner. Other newer varieties, which are
little planted as yet, are McCollister
and Oceana.
Admiral Dewey is promising as the
first yellow fleshed freestone, ripening
10 days earlier than St. John; show.
ing hardness in bud and other good
points, but is rather low in quality.
Oceana is a fine, large, yellow flesh
ed freestone, ripening about Septem.
Der 10; is more highly colored, but not
quite so hardy in bud as Engle's
Mammoth, with which it ripens.
We now jump over two weeks OF
peach season, to September %, and
beginning with Matthew's Beauty
have a close interlapping season OF
succession with Frances, Emma,
WEIGH, McCollister and Banner. Al
are good to large sized, yellow fleshec
freestones, coming at a desirable
season, showing enough hardness il
bud TO warrant them being marked as
promising, and it is likely that some
will prove valuable.
The variety Banner, which ripen:
with Smock. promises to be harder il
bud than that variety, but fruit a:
yet has not been as large, but is inn
proving in size as the trees get older
The demand for white fleshed peach
es is so small, and they are so unpop
ular with buyers, that all of the new
white kinds may be termed unpromis
ing, such as Early Victor, Carman
Eureka, Clifton Park, Hynes and
many others. In this class the mos