New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 603 



There are two ways in which the fruit-grower can in a measure 

 meet the problem of horticultural novelties. He can rely upon the 

 trustworthiness of the nurseryman and permit him, as the introducer, 

 to be his guide; or, he can await the results of tests made by others — 

 especially of tests made at the various experiment stations. 



The present bulletin is written to be helpful in either case. There 

 are fruit-growers, prudent ones, too, who, even though now and 

 then deceived, take great pleasure in growing new introductions. 

 To such experimenters this bulletin offers suggestions to guide them 

 in determining what new fruits to look upon as promising and what 

 ones to distrust, it being quite out of the question for any one man, 

 unless he has unlimited time and means, to try all. To those who 

 have not the means or the time, we give descriptions of a number 

 of new fruits which have been thoroughly tested and have been 

 found valuable on the grounds of this Station. 



SUGGESTIONS TO BUYERS OF FRUITS. 



The term " improved " added to the name of an old variety is 

 a misrepresentation, pure and simple. Out of the score or more of 

 fruits tested at this Station sent out as " improved," not one has 

 differed in any way from the original variety. Fruits propagated 

 from cuttings or grafts remain substantially the same indefinitely. 



The term " pedigree " is used by some nurserymen in a slightly 

 different sense than " improved " but still with the inference that 

 " pedigreed " varieties are in some way improved. Buyers of 

 " pedigreed " stock should demand proof of the supposed superiority. 

 Varieties of fruit are pure-bred in the most literal sense, their line of 

 descent, barring a very occasional break, being absolutely unchange- 

 able. 



Occasionally, as we have just said, there are breaks or bud varia- 

 tions in fruits. When it is proved that a variation is transmitted 

 through budding or grafting, the new strain, possibly divergent 

 enough to be a variety, may be of value. In the study of the 

 history of several thousand varieties of fruits at this Station it does 

 not appear that many sorts, not one out of a thousand, have originated 

 as bud-variations. 



Many varieties of fruits come nearly true to seed. There are 

 several undesignated strains of some well-known plums, peaches and 

 cherries, which have originated as seedlings and each of which has 



