30 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



T am not much posted in fruit-culture; but observation, and some 

 acquaintance with tlie expeiiments made by others, confirm the now 

 generally received opinion that the fruit of the scion will partake of the 

 natural stock under some conditions. For illustration : graft a Seckel 

 into a Flemish Beauty, and your Seckel peais will in some instances be 

 so large as to deceive fruit-men, while they will preserve all the rich 

 qualities of the Seckel. So it is that where the original tree is more 

 hardy and vigorous, and bearing larger fruit, than (he gralt, you may 

 expect similar results. It is well known that the best Bartlett j^ears are 

 grown on grafts put into old-fashioned sweet- pear trees, — the kind that 

 grow little hard pears, and only fit to "preserve." Bartletts grown 

 on such trees will keep better, bear better, and are of sweeter quality. 

 That experiment was tried \v^ a neighbor of mine. 



Some years ago I visited Seth Boyden of New Jersey, whose experi- 

 ments in agriculture and horticulture are as celebrated as his successful 

 experiments in mechanics. lie had made "trial grafts," as he called 

 them ; that is, had taken three young trees planted for the purpose, — 

 one exceedingly sour, with another less .so, and one sweet, — then inter- 

 locked them, and grafted the top as if it was one tree. .\ pleasant sour 

 was the result. Two trees were thus treated, and he found tliat the graft 

 partook of tiie qualities of the original .stocks. lie had trees growing 

 together, in form of a crescent, some in form of a cross, some in the 

 form of a triangle, so grafted. 



Very respectfully yours, 



W. II. B. CURRIKU. 



Amesbury, M.\ss., July 24, 1880. 

 Mr. IIowK. 



Dear Sir, — In the letter written you I was mistaken in one point. 

 The apples purchased by Mr. Lucy were r.iised in East Salisbury, and, 

 as he stated, near the Seabrook (N II.) line. They were i^urchased 

 ol: Mr Edward Walton, but nevertheless are Red Russets. They grew 

 on what is considered in that heighborhoofl poor land, — dry, gravelly 

 land, or the local name is, near "Gravelly Ridge." My opiniou is (it 

 may not be worth much) that the nature of the soil had nmch to do 

 with tlie keeping quality of the apples, and very likely the ce lar where 

 they were stored may have been of the proper temperature for the fruit 

 (I believe it is so considered). 



This variety of apple is cultivated to some extent in that section of 

 the town, and I find that opinions differ in respect to the quality. Some 

 farmers call them very good; others do not think so well of them. 



I should think that a Baldwin apple crossed with a Russet, or any 

 hardier or better keeping variety, would naturally partake of the hardier 

 qualities of the parent-tree. As you sugge.st in your previous letter, it is 

 a question of great importance; and, while some of our experts in fruit- 

 culture deny it, I think the be.st class of them admit the fact. It has 

 proved so with pear-culture : I can see no reason why it should nov, with 



the apple. 



Very respectfully vours, 



W. II. B. Currier. 



