The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-01-01

have made that claim for him and are
pushing the apple as a new and val
liable fruit. Mr.. Spencer has been
repeatedly appealed to to tell where
he got this apple, and, SO far as |
know. has never answered these in
ouiries. If this is the old seedless
apple of Virginia that has been known
more than a hundred years, then we
know it to be worthless. But If it
is a new seedless apple originated by
Spencer, or some one else, but is so
nearly identical that good judges can
worthless apple.
| want to repeat what have said in
these columns before, that 1t is not
wrong to sell seedless apple trees;
no. not wrong to sell worthless apple
trees, if they are sold for what they
are, but to try to foist an old, we'll
known worthless thing on the public
as new and valuable fruit is a
grievious wrong. l am not saying
whether this is being done or not
We will let Mr.. Waters tell his own
story:
Patton Home for the Aged,
Portland, Ore, Nov. 25, 1906.
F. Walden, Horticultural Editor, The
Ranch, Seattle, Wash.
MY Dear Sir:-I have seen your name
in connection with the Spencer Seedless
hear what Roadway the. company at
..... is making in inducing persons to
buv 1 have written to the president OF
the company, but as yet no reply. Per
Ger with his start of the seedless, and
l have half bushel of the apples to
send as samples to parties tnat 70 get as
to whether I have deceived the public
as to their identity. I have known j. F.
Spencer from the day he was born IN
April 1913, in Vernon county, Wisconsin.
When people are sure they are ldentl-
cal, then they are at liberty to pay the
companies 81 per tree, or they can puy
them from me at 25 cents each, with
my judgment that one tree is enough
for any orchard, and they to be scattered
all over the west so IT they are not
commercial apple in future years when
some other Spencer" will try to start
it again, there will be living witnesses
to tell the tale. 1 will look for state
ment from you soon.
CHARLES WATERS.
86 years old.
In addition to the foregoing letter,
| have a copy of the Morning Orego-
MAN of Nov 80, 1906, in which is
communication from Charles Waters
on this same subject 1t is fuller
than his letter to me above given. He
says in this article that he has sent
samples of his seedless apples to the
department of agriculture, Washlng-
ton, D. c., and to a number OF other
persons and that they all pronounce
his apples and those furnished by
the Spencer Seedless Apple Co. 1den-
teal. | have examined the Spencer
seedless apple as furnished by that
company and those grown IN Mr.
Waters orchard and was unable to
see any difference between them ex-
cept that those furnished by the COM
pany were matured and colored and
those furnished by Waters were picked
earlier and lacked the color, but II
they differ in other respects | was
unable to see it. Mr.. Waters Orego-
MAN article may be published in The
Ranch at some future time.
While this matter is under consid-
GRAFTON | wish to offer a suggestion
to our readers that will save them
from imposition by any one VINO mas
a worthless thing in the fruit line
to offer to the public: Never plant
extensively any new untried fruit,
however much it may be lauded by
it's promoters. There are many fakes
in the world and the apostolic inJunc-
ton, prove all things, hold fast TO
that which is good" is the only safe
rule to go by. If any one who reads
of this seedless apple cares to try
it, l see no objection. But man
would hn l1nXyiCn tn OH mucH
money for trees of this or any other
new untried variety Plant a few
one is often enough-and then il you