REMARKS ON THE DEGENERACY OF FRUIT. 



til many of them were obliged to go to the far west to obtain their bread — those who re 

 mained behind were compelled to resort to artificial stimulants, which entirely changed 

 the nature and relative properties of the soil, so that we were unable to obtain those par- 

 ticular particles of food which, in former days, contributed so largely to give us that pe- 

 culiar flavor and other valuable properties which we then exhibited. Let me tell you in 

 all candor, before we part forever — that if you will place our family in a soil and climate 

 congenial to our taste and constitutional habits, similar in every respect to that in which 

 our ancestors flourished with so much credit, we will engage to redeem our reputation. 

 The younger members of our family are as sound in stem and branch, as ever our ances- 

 ters were. Give us the same food to eat, and climatical air to breathe, and we will pro- 

 duce as good fruit as they ever did." 



Tlie pomologist here cuts the argument short by saying — " You are an old superanuat- 

 ed variety — we have tried you too long already — you have set ' our children's teeth on 

 edge' — we will have nothing to do with you — our Pomological Congress has rejected 

 you, and that's enough I Here is a new seedling variety lately brought to notice by an 

 eminent nurseryman, who has thousands of them for sale. His price is rather high, to b 

 sure ; but then our Pomological Congress has recommended it, and I guess they know 

 what's what about good or bad apples." 



" Why bless you" — says the rejected apple — " I know all about that seedling. A boy, 

 after having eaten an apple of our variety, threw the core containing the seed, in a hedge 

 by the way-side. A tree grew — the fruit had some good properties, and accidentally fell 

 into the hands of a pomologist, who gave it a high sounding name — set it afloat on a po- 

 pular current, and the wind so far, has been in its favor." 



That some- varieties of fruit do not succeed so well in localities differing in soil and cli- 

 mate from those in which they originated, is a generally acknowledged fact, clearly demon- 

 strated; but that fact has nothing to do with the question of degeneracy. 



The Baldwin Apple is considered good in every respect in the state of Massachusetts. 

 Grafts taken from those trees and cultivated in the southern part of Ohio, prodvice fruit 

 subject to the " dry rot." Grafts taken from those dry-rot fruit trees in Ohio, and culti- 

 vated in ^lassachusetts, produce fruit equal to those trees which remained at home. Does 

 this prove degeneracy? 



It is said that the stock on which a graft is worked has an influence on the fruit. I ac- 

 knowledge that it has individually, but not generally. The Angouleme pear, worked on 

 the quince, slightly changes the fruit for the better. But take a bud from the Angouleme 

 pear on quince, and work it back on the pear stock, and there is no difference between its 

 fruit and the Angouleme that has always been worked on the pear stock. This explains 

 what I mean by the influence being individually, but not generally. 



Mr. Downing, in his work on " Fruits and Fruit Trees of America," speaking of the 

 White Juneating Apple, says — " this is an old variety mentioned by Evelyn in 1660, and 

 described by Ray, in 1688, and is a very tolerable little apple." p. 78. Of the Golden 

 Pippin, he says, " It is a very old variety, being mentioned by Evelyn in ICCO, but it 

 thrives well in many parts of England still." p. 112. Of the Canada Rcinctte, he says, 

 " It is doubtful, notwithstanding its name, whether it is truly of Canadian Origin, asMer- 

 let, a French writer, describes the same fruit in the 17th century; and some authors think 

 it was brought to this continent from Normandy, and carried back under its new name. 

 At any rate, it is a very large and handsome fruit, a good bearer, and of excellent quality 

 espects." p. 129. Of the Bartlett pear, he says, " It is an English variety, origi- 

 about 1770." p. 334. 



No. III. 2. ^^^ 



