The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-12-14
WAGNER SENDS STORY
OF VALUABLE APPLE

The following clipping. a dispatch
from Ferrell, N. j., from the Phila-
delphia Public Ledger, is about won
derful apple:
A wire cage has been constructed
around the "S5. 600 apple tree" in the
orchard of Lewis Mood, farmer in
South Harrison township. Gloucester
county. Mood recently sold a branch
from this particular tree, producing an
entirely new variety of apple, to one
of the big nursery firms of the country
for what is said to be a record break
ing price for this fruit.
The patient public will have to wait
for two years or more before it can
learn very much about the Mood apple,
as it is being guarded with the great
est secrecy, indicated by theseTection
of the stout wire cage entirely around
the tree. All that is known so far is
that it is a red apple of exceptional
size and sweetness. There is no other
apple just like it anywhere in this
country so far as horticultural experts
have been able to determine.
This new variety will be subjected
to the most exhaustive tests under the
various climatic and soil conditions
throughout the United States before
the nursery firm which has bought 1t Is
willing to place it upon the market.
Orchard science, as applied through
top budding, will make it possible TO
produce the new fruit in quantities
large enough for experimental purposes
within year or two.
The new apple is purely an accident
of nature being what is known to fruit
growers as a sport from one OF the
ordinary varieties. Mood noticed sew
eral years ago that one of the branches
Of particular tree in his orchard was
bearing an apple that was different
/ both m color and flavor from the fruit
Of other limbs on the same tree. he
took off some buds and started other
trees. The big red Mood apples were
/ in such demand among his customers
that last season he sold $40 worth OF
apples from the original tree alone.
A representative Of a nursery COM
pany learned that the New Jersey
/ farmer had an apple that was attract
I ing attention and be called to see Mr..
Mood.
81 had thought Of trying to put out
this new apple myself" said Mood IN
talking Of his 'find. " 81 put a price
on the apple that | thought would keep
those fellows from pestering me about
| selling. They got the head Of their
company here 20 look over the apple
and % zee the tree. After several
| conferences we finally came to terms.
Just what these terms are is set
| forth in a bill Of sale and surveyor 8
] record Of the exact location OF the
tree, which have been filed in the
7 Gloucester county clerks Office at
Woodbury.. Even the particular
branch Of the tree is designated IN this
unusual record.
According to the agreement on HE.
he has received 81. 600 in cash and IS to
1 get s. 600 in royalties" at the rate
Of two cents for esch bud that is taken
from the original branch or any trees
I developed from IL. These buds will be
i grated upon other stock TO produce
] trees Of the new variety.
Five thousand dollars seems Ike
I big price for an apple. i" remarked one
I Well-informed nurseryman regarding
| Mods sale. but IN these DAYS q new
apple Of exceptional quality, color and
SIZE Is worth q small fortune 10 anyone
who has the courage and organisation
TO introduce il 70 the nation"