New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 299 
after it originates is invariably by the second method. The 
parentage of most of our varieties of apples is unknown, in fact in 
most cases we do not know from what variety the seed was secured, 
much less what variety the pollen came from that fertilized the ovule 
and produced the seed. Speculation is frequently indulged in on 
this point and varieties are credited with certain parentage on ac- 
count of their resemblance to the supposed parents, but this is always 
uncertain. It is said that varieties sometimes originate from bud 
sports, an occurrence not uncommon among ornamental plants. In 
spite of the great differences that exist amongst varieties, no two 
exactly duplicating each other, the writer is of the opinion that many 
varieties may be grouped together on account of having many points 
in common. Ten such groups are’ made, two of which are divided 
into subgroups. The varieties are most of them well known, and it 
is said that in like manner many other groups might be made. 
A paragraph® is given to the discussion of Russian apples. As 
far back as 1832, Kenrick, one of the early horticultural writers of 
this country, considers worthy of trial “two highly celebrated Rus- 
sian apples,” the Duchess of Oldenburg and Emperor Alexander, or 
Alexander as it is called today. 
The description of the individual varieties is prefaced by a chapter 
explaining the technical descriptions of fruit and tree. Incidentally 
the value of various characters as a means of distinguishing varie- 
ties is mentioned. In the descriptions of the varieties the names are 
arranged alphabetically and under each variety comes, first, a list 
of all those publications in which the variety is mentioned, or at 
least all those deemed of any importance. These citations have all 
been consulted before the description of the variety was written to 
see if there was any contradiction between the experience of the 
past as epitomized by standard works and that of the present day 
as secured at this Station and indicated by correspondence with 
numerous practical growers. Next is given a list of all the 
synonyms of that particular variety. It is astonishing, in the case of 
certain of the older varieties, how many different names can be 
applied to one sort of fruit. Age alone does not seem to determine 
this matter. The Baldwin, although over 150 years old, has only 
nine synonyms. The Newtown Spitzenburg, although probably not 
over 100 years old, is listed as having twenty-seven. In general, how- 
°*The Apples of New York, 1:23 (1903). 
®*The Apples of New York, 1:25 (1903). 
