408 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



more like bunches of grapes than apples; Milan, favorite early winter; 

 Rambo, the same. But the apple most universally cultivated is the 

 Vaudervere Pippin, only a second or third I'ate table apple, but having 

 other qualities Avhich quite ravish the hearts of our farmers. The tree 

 is remarkably vigorous and healthy; it almost never fails in a crop; 

 when all others miss the Vandervere Pippin hits. The fruit, which is 

 very large and comely, is a late winter fruit, yet swells so quickly 

 as to be the first summer cooking apple. If its flesh (which is coarse) 

 were fine, and its (too sharp) flavor equaled that of the Golden Russet, 

 it would stand without a rival, or near neighbor, at the very head of 

 the list of winter apples. As it is, it is a first rate tree, bearing a second 

 rate apple. A hybrid between it and the Golden Russet, or Newton 

 Spitzenberg, appropriating the virtues of both, would leave but little more 

 to be hoped for or wished. The Baldwin has never come up to its 

 eastern reputation with us; the Rhode Island Greening is eaten for the 

 sake of "Auld Lang Syne;" the Roxbuiy Russet is not yet in bearing, 

 instead of it several false varieties have been presented at our exhibi- 

 tions. All the classic apples of your orchards are planted here, but are 

 yet on probation. 



Seedlings Not Desirable. 



Nothing can exhibit better the folly of trusting to seedling orchards 

 for fruit, for a main supply, than our experience in this matter. The 

 early settlers could not bring trees from Kentucky, Virginia or Penn- 

 sylvania, and, as the next resort, brought and planted seeds of popular 

 apples. A later population fovmd no nurseries to supply the awakening 

 demand for fruit trees, and resorted also to planting seed. That which 

 at first sprang from necessity, has been continued from habit, and from 

 an erroneous opinion that seedling fruit was better than grafted. An 

 immense number of seedling trees are found in our State. Since the 

 Horticultural Society began to collect specimens of these, more than 

 one hundred and fifty varieties have been sent up for inspection. Our 

 rule is to reject every apple which, the habits of the tree and the quality 

 of the fruit being considered, has a superior or equal alreadj^ in culti- 

 vation. Of all the number presented, not six have vindicated their claim 

 to a name or place, and not more than three will probably be known 

 ten years hence. While then, we encourage cultivators to raise seed- 

 lings, experimentally, it is the clearest folly to reject the established 

 varieties and trust to inferior seedling orchards. From facts which I 

 have collected, there has been planted during the past year, in this State, 

 at least 100,000 apple trees. Every year the demand increases. It is 

 supposed that the next year will surpass this by 25,000. 



