University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-03-06
Story ofAn Apple

cry about the streets, but one occupy
ing place in the fruit kingdom simi
lar to that held by Josephine, thu
prize cow, among her kind.
In the days OF our boyhood-youl
boyhood and mine-we felt. that ",
had accomplished something wortl
while, and no thought Of wrong en-
tered our conscience when we skulked
from a farmers orchard. pockets OF
blouse bulging with wormy or runty
fruit; or when, with long. nail-fitted
stick. We filched apples through the
lpalings of the fence.
Somehow, in the boys nature there
Is sense of right to the apple wher
ever found, inherited, perhaps, from
a circumstance attending the harvest.
ing of the first crop of which the race
has record. If that original fruit
which has been so extensively adver.
tised since the time of our primevai
parents was the equal of the subject
of this story-well, there is large ex.
cuse for the Original Sin.
Close to thirty years ago. in the
orchard of Jesse Hiatt, in Madison
county, Iowa, a tiny apple seedlinf.
poked its way from the soft earth and
spread its leaves to shelter its slender
body. Just why it escaped the plow-
share and was permitted to mature is
not apparent. Perhaps its vigorous
and independcn: bearing won the re-
spect OF Mr.. Hiatt, and his decision
to "see what the smart little critter
will amount to-" But whatever the
cause for the good fortune that pre-
served the tree 10 bearing age, Mr.
Hiatt felt rewarded :hen. From rs
delicious juices and crisp substance
he experienced 4 new sense of deligh:
when his teeth first pierced its fruit.
The wonderful apple remained in
obscur. Y until about ff-
teen years ago. when { was purchased
by Stark Brothers, the big nursery
house CT Louisiana, Nc, and placed
upon the market
The name by which they have her
aided the qualities which captivate
the eye. the nOstrii and the palate. is
in harmony with its origin-that is.
il is of spontaneous birth. A bite into
It's ruddy cheeks rarely fails to bring
he exclamation Delicious
And SO, as Delicious it is known
oday wherever it is grown or seen
lpon the table.
Luther Burbank's opinion of this
apple is succinctly stated |
~. the great sc.entist-'It is 4 gem.
he fines; apple in all the world"
Pretty high testimony of worth-but |
aste the apple before you express I |
ioubt.
Ii is difficult to describe this apple |
n cold type-impossible adequately
o suggest its aroma and flavor. 1t
5 of large size. brilliant dark red |
n color. blending to golden yellow
t the blossom end. A never-chang.ng
of the Delicious Is the
'resence at the blossom end of five
more or less pointed
r rounded The flesh is fine-grained,
cry crisp. exceedingly juicy and
netting
A most important and valuable fea-
ure of the tree is that it is one CT
he strongest. hardest and most Wig
rous growers of the apple family.
or the scores Of apples propagated
y Stark Brothers. they place Delic-
,us at the head of the list for variety. II
No other apple has ever commanded
r deserved a One-hundredth part of
ne enthusiasm and praise that has
cen given to the Delicious" said Mr..
7. p. Stark, and he is in a coed posi- /.
on to speak with knowledge. Is
Prying man has discovered many of Ii
'a.ure's secrets of horticulture, and
,aster-minds have acquired power to [
irect her forces to marvellous ends on Ii
ccas.On. Ii
One of these master-minds, Luther [
urbank of California stands pre-emi- s
ent. So seemingly marvellous have II
cen the results he has led Nature 1t
} accomplish that the title of Wizard II
Horticulture" has been given him. lc
ut Mr.. Burbank discla:ms any pow a
s Of wiZardry or knowledge of the In
,crets OF the black art His whole In
,ility to bring about the creations"
l which his fame rests, is due to his t
'wer to interpret Natures laws, and h
direct them to their highest ends. 4
Occasionally Nature finds just the a
OILS at hand, and just the conditions, n
: which she is enabled to bring about o
result equal to the best she has ac- il
'mplished under the direction Of hu- B
an skill and intelligence. The birth n