NEW VARIETIES OF FRUITS. 253 



sorts as Fall Pippin, Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin, Hiibbardston JSTonsuch, 

 Melon, and Red Canada, while the amount of matter pressing for consider- 

 ation warns us to confine ourselves to that which comes more directly in the 

 way of home wants. 



SIBERIAN CRAB APPLES. 



The trying climate of our Northwestern States has compelled planters in 

 those States to select only the most hardy sorts ; and so great is the necessity 

 of the case, that a large number of what are known as "Iron Clads" have been 

 introduced or originated in those States to meet this emergency. More recently 

 the superior hardiness of the Siberian Crab {Pyrus Baccata) has invited the 

 attention of experimenters, and the consequence has been the introduction of 

 several very distinct varieties of this class, which threaten to nearly or quite 

 usurp the places of the old favorites : Small Red, Large Red and Yellow, and 

 even Hyslop, Montreal Beauty, and Transcendent. 



To Michigan planters the importance of these is greatly diminished, from 

 the fact of our ability to successfully grow so wide a range of the best varieties 

 of the common apple {Pyrus Malus). Hence, in our State, crabs are but 

 sparingly planted, and that mainly for culinary and ornamental purposes. 

 Still these efforts for the amelioration or improvement of the crabs have 

 resulted in the production of sorts which are claimed to be a decided improve- 

 ment upon the other varieties in quality, while a still more advanced step has 

 been taken in the production of varieties which extend the season of this fruit 

 into winter and even spring. One of the most promising of these newer sorts, 

 for the use of the Michigan planter, is believed to be 



brier's sw^eet crab, 



which was introduced to the public by A. Gr. Tuttle, of Baraboo Valley, Wis., 

 and who thus describes it: ''Originated with B. D. Brier, of Baraboo, Wis. 

 Is the result of a fertilization of the Siberian Crab with the Bailey apple. Tree 

 perfectly hardy, vigorous and productive. Fruit as large as the Transcendent, 

 shaped like the Bailey Sweet, color pale yellow, beautifully pencilled and 

 splashed with carmine, flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, very sweet and rich ; quality 

 best for dessert or preserves." This has now been several years before the 

 public and seems to possess more than usually desirable qualities for a fruit of 

 its class. 



BTERS' BEAUTY 



is understood to have originated in Bainbridge, Berrien Co., this State, many 

 years since, and, so far as we have been able to learn, was first exhibited, and 

 received its name at the meeting of this society held at South Haven, Van 

 Buren county, in September, 1873, as will be seen from the following extract 

 from the report of proceedings at page 304 of its Transactions for that year: 



** A basket of crab apples, raised by Jno. Byers, of Bainbridge, and shown by 

 A. A. Olds, is worthy of much attention. A name is desired for the fruit, 

 which is as yet known only as a seedling. Upon the question of naming the 

 crab apple referred to in the report it was suggested that it be called Byers* 

 Beauty, as the general opinion was that it was worth a name and due consid- 

 eration by the society." 



