1 7 8 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



and perhaps it is not there, but a vine 

 has been shown to me as the original- 



The subject of the cultivation of for- 

 eign trees and the introduction of for- 

 eign birds is an exceedingly interesting 

 one, and if you are as interested as I 

 am, possibly you will follow the gr; pe 

 topic with one on the introduction of 

 foreign evergreens. 



The spruce in the fjords of Norway 

 is a beautiful tree as it grows from the 

 crevices in the rocks, far above the sea, 

 but on cultivated lawns it always seems 

 a misfit and after twenty years usually 

 becomes a miserable failure. The white 

 pine of northern New England thrives 

 in a light, sandy soil, but it is rarely 

 successful in Greenwich, where the soil 

 is too heavy and the owner is too lib- 

 eral in the application of fertilizer. 



We have already made foolish moves 

 in the introduction of foreign birds as 

 attested by the English sparrow and 

 the starling. Our own native trees and 

 birds are of sufficient beauty, variety 

 and value to make everybody happy 

 and with them we ought to be content. 

 Yours sincerely, 



Frederick A. Hubbard. 



Origin of the Baldwin Apple and 

 Others. 



New York City. 

 To the Editor : 



It seems that soon after 1740 the 

 Baldwin came up as a chance seedling 

 on the farm of John Ball at Wilming- 

 ton, near Lowell, Massachusetts. You 

 will notice that this was thirty-five 

 years before the Revolution- That 

 country must then have been a wilder- 

 ness in part, and I have no doubt the 

 tree came up in the woods or in the 

 corner of some half cleared field, as we 

 find such seedlings growing to-day. The 

 apple was found and its quality recog- 

 nized, but for about forty years its cul- 

 tivation was confined to that immediate 

 neighborhood. The farm finally came 

 into possession of a Air. Butters who 

 gave the name of Woodpecker to the 

 apple because the tree was so often 

 frequented by woodpeckers. For a 

 time the apple was also known as But- 

 ters. 



It at last came to the attention of 

 Colonel Baldwin, by whom it was prop- 

 agated and introduced throughout 



eastern Massachusetts as early at 1784. 

 and from his interest in the variety it 

 was finally named Baldwin. I am told 

 that in 181 7 the original tree was still 

 alive. It was destroyed some time be- 

 fore 1832, but a monument to the Bald- 

 win apple now marks the location. The 

 apple has become the leading variety 

 for commercial purposes in this coun- 

 try. Throughout the eastern states 

 and the north it far surpasses any other, 

 and has brought almost untold wealth 

 to the New England states. 



It is remarkable, in a study of the his- 

 tory of our leading fruit varieties, to 

 see how many came from New Eng- 

 land. The famous Rhode Island green- 

 ing was found as a wild tree in Rhode 

 Island some two hundred years ago. 

 The famous Roxbury russet is said to 

 have originated in Massachusetts about 

 1650. Sutton Beauty is also a Massa- 

 chusetts product, and all these were 

 found originally as wild seedlings, us- 

 ually growing in the woods- The same 

 is true, as of course you know, with 

 the Bartlett pear. In fact the woods 

 and hillsides of New England have been 

 astonishing prolific in giving these high 

 class fruits to the world. That is why I 

 believe that out of these hillside forests 

 will come in time the hickories which 

 are to change the character of our New 

 England country life. 



Very truly yours, 



H. W. COLLINGWOOD. 



From a Lover of Grapes. 



New Rochelle, New York. 

 To the Editor : 



I have been much interested in your 

 timely article on grapes, and your ex- 

 planation of how the Concord and 

 Delaware varieties got their names 

 answers an inquiry that has always 

 been in my mind, although I cannot say 

 just why I have never taken the trouble 

 to look it up. 



I suppose each of us has a special 

 fondness for some kind of fruit. In 

 California during the top of the orange 

 bearing season it seems as if no fruit 

 could be more attractive or beautiful 

 yet I once knew a person who declared 

 there could be no finer exhibition of 

 fruit than that which decked the trees 

 in a well cultivated apple orchard. But 

 for me the grape has always had first 

 place. I may say it is my favorite fruit. 



