204 Till: MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



all new varieties originated as seedlings — it is a great mistake, 

 and the larger number of the varieties of fruit which we culti- 

 vate originate as bud-variants. This, of course, is in line with the 

 Mendelian theory of mutation and the fixed law which governs these 

 mutations. Periodically and systematically every plant will throw off 

 a hud-variant or variety. It may be in scores of years, hundreds of 

 years or thousands of years or millions of years, but at any rate all 

 plants ai certain periods systematically throw off these bud-variants 

 and hence the multiplication indefinitely of new varieties. It brings it 

 down to a very tine distinction, as Mr. Wisker intimated, as to what is 

 a variety. Pomologists know varieties and subvarieties and experl 

 pomological opinion has to he able to designate what is a variety and 

 know where one plant, one individual, differs sufficiently from another 

 of the same species in order to he assigned a distinct name. That is a 

 matter which only expert pomologists can determine. There are some 

 mutations or sports or hud-variants which are so very distinct that any 

 one ;i1 once can see they are entitled to that distinction as a different 

 variety. I might mention some few very well known illustrations. You 

 can take the nectarine. It is simply a bud-variant from the peach. 

 Any one knows it is entirely distinct. At the same time botanically 

 there is no difference between that and the peach. It is simply a 

 variety, a spoil, a bud-variant of the peach. Another well known illus- 

 tration may he the Pierce grape, which originated in the old Pierce 

 vineyard in Santa Clara a great many years ago and was called the 

 Isahella Regia or Queen Isabella. Some of you may remember seeing 

 that variety in the market years ago. It sold at $2.50 a crate. The 

 fruit was kept by Mr. Pierce to himself for a long time and finally it 

 was disseminated by the California Nursery Company and named 

 "Pierce." and that originated from one bud which grew on the eastern 

 Isabella grape. It was so distinct that it was easily noticed as a new 

 and distinct variety. 



I found a few years ago a sport, just as marked, of oiir well known 

 French prune, a tree in a certain orchard at Saratoga. This tree above 

 the grafl Inn! one branch which bore an entirely distinct and different 

 fruit. Instead of oval or oblong, more or less pear-shaped, this fruit 

 was what would he called obtuse-obovate. It was almost square-shaped 

 at the ends, so much so that it could stand up on its own bottom either 

 way. That fruit was large and made a record of running from 31 to :'>'.) 

 to the pound dried. In order that it might be tested thoroughly, as 

 to whether it was a fixed variety, buds were taken from the branch and 

 are now in bearing, producing the same fruit with those peculiar 

 characteristics. 



Any grower who is observant, ami there can be no true horticulturist 

 who is not observant, will notice great peculiarities in different fruits 

 in Ids orchard and it is quite probable that those peculiarities may be 

 perpetuated. I noticed in Napa Valley (in 1882) a great difference in 

 the French prunes as grown commercially. I made ,-i collection of them 

 lieie in different orchards and there was a water-colored sketch made 

 which was reproduced in the old State Board of Horticulture Report 

 in Mr. Lelong's time, ami any one would think it was a plate of 

 different varieties and yet they are all French prunes grown under 

 similar conditions. No attention was paid to it at that time. Every one 



