282 Bulletin 2^)2. 



maintained a nursery on the Lake Road between Wilson and Olcott 

 about the same time. 



In 1839, Elisha Moody estabHshed a nursery on the Ridge Road 

 northeast of Lockport. The founder was the first president of the 

 American Association of Nurserymen. The original firm has been con- 

 tinued by E. Moody & Sons now in business at Lockport. 



Messrs. Penfield and Burrell, of Lockport, were also in business be- 

 tween 1850 and 1865, at the time when there was considerable activity in 

 the planting of orchards. To these early nurserymen the county is largely 

 indebted for the large commercial orchards now in bearing. 



VALUABLE FRUITS ORIGINATING IN NIAGARA COUNTY 



Niagara County has given to the State and the Nation some valuable 

 varieties of fruit. The varieties noted below include only those which 

 are of more than local significance. 



Niagara peach. — Like many good things, there is some obscurity 

 as to the origin of this peach. Two men in the town of Newfane, this 

 county (Niagara), claim its discovery, but the most probable story 

 of its origin is given as follows by J. S. Woodward, Lockport: 



" Fifteen or more years ago, Mr. P. H. Corwin began to grow peach 

 trees for sale in a small way. In an orchard of Early Crawford from 

 whicli he was taking buds, he noticed a very vigorous tree that bore very 

 nice large peaches, and naturally he cut a good many buds from this 

 tree. When the trees he sold began to bear, the owner noticed a marked 

 difference in the fruit on different trees and made inquiry of Mr. Corwin 

 as to the cause. This led to close inspection of the orchard from which 

 the buds had been cut and established the fact that there was a variety 

 very distinct from Early Crawford. In 1894, Mr. Corwin began to prop- 

 agate this as a new sort, and at first called it ^lammoth Crawford; 

 but as this would lead to a confusion of names, Niagara was substituted 

 and today it is known by no other name. The tree is a more vigorous 

 grower, with heavier and darker green leaves and more stocky wood 

 than the Crawford ; nor does it load on as much fruit as the Crawford 

 at its best. It begins to ripen about one picking later than Crawford, 

 and the fruit is larger, more round and of better quality than the Craw- 

 ford and holds out good in size to the last. Anyone going through an 

 orchard of Crawfords with a few Niagaras mixed in, has no difficulty 

 in distinguishing the variety even when there is no fruit on the trees." 



Niagara grape. — The Niagara white grape is one of the leading com- 

 mercial grapes of the state. It originated in 1872 with the nursery firm 

 of Hoag and Clark of Lockport, N. Y. It is the product of a cross of 

 Concord and Cassidy described as follows by the originators : 



