138 HORTICULTURAL SOCIKTY OF NEW YORK. 



vulgaris purpurea, in which the influence of both sexes is seen in the progeny. 

 A number of new forms have been obtained in the second generation. 



A series of new varieties of Pyrus have been produced by crossing Pyrus 

 Maulci with a brilliant llowering, semi-double form of Pyrus japonica. These 

 new crosses are intermediate in size of bush between the two parents, and 

 those which have flowered have been found to vary much in the size and hue 

 of the blossoms. Among these is one very handsome form, with the flowers 

 large, semi-double, and of a brilliant scarlet color. (Plate Fig. 5.) 



Sand Cherry and Plum. The Sand Cherry, Prunus ptimila, was chosen 

 as the starting point for another line of experimental work. Attempts were 

 made to cross this with different varieties of cherry, without success; but a 

 cross was effected in 1896 with a variety of the cultivated plum known as 

 Col. Wilder, an improved form of Prunus ainericana. 



The fruit of this hybrid, which has been named Rupert, is nearly round, 

 about 13-16 of an inch in diameter. In color it is a bluish black; flesh, melt- 

 ing and almost sweet ; flavor, delicate and agreeable. The skin is quite 

 astringent, and somewhat disagreeable when chewed. The stone is elongated 

 and resembles that of the plum. Ripe, September 7th. (Plate Fig. 1.) 



PYRU^ BACCATA AND APPLE HYBRIDS. 



•When the branch Experimental Farms were established in the Canadian 

 Northwest experiments were at once begun, on a rather extensive scale, with 

 both large and small fruits, special attention being paid to varieties of the 

 apple. During the first eight or nine years about 200 of the hardiest sorts 

 obtainable in Northern Europe and elsewhere of cultivated apples were thor- 

 oughly tested, but with little or no success. In 1887 seed was obtained from 

 the Royal Botanic Gardens at St. Petersburgh of a small wild Siberian crab 

 known as the Berried Crab (Pyrus baccata). Young trees raised from this 

 seed were sent to the Western Experimental Farms at Brandon, Man., and 

 Indian Head, N. W. T., and were found to be entirely hardy. During a test 

 of thirteen years they have never been injured by winter, but the branches 

 have grown from the terminal buds every season. They have fruited abun- 

 dantly, but the fruit is very small — not much larger than a cherry — astringent, 

 and sometimes bitter. The trees were dwarf in habit, of sturdy growth and 

 thickly branched, with branches extending close to the ground. From their 

 build they are well adapted to resist the winds to which trees are exposed 

 on the Northwest plains. 



After four or five years of experience had thoroughly established the 

 character of this tree for extreme hardiness efforts were made to improve 

 the size and quality of the fruit by cross-fertilizing the Pyrus baccata with 

 many of the hardiest sorts of apples grown at Ottawa. This work was begun 

 in 1894, and has since been continued along many different lines. In 1899 

 36 of these seedlings fruited, and five of them were of such size and quality 

 as to justify their being propagated for more general test. Since then about 

 SO of these cross-breds have fruited, and the number of varieties worthy of 

 cultivation has been considerably increased. Most of the promising sorts 

 have been tested for two or three years at each of the Northwest Farms, and 

 have shown no indications of tenderness. The trees which are cross-bred 

 seem to be quite as hardy as the wild forms of Pyrus baccata, and there is 



