64 THE CHERRIES OF NEW YORK 



stocks, though for the cherry the wild species, Prunus emarginata and 

 Primus virginiana, were used and very successfully, until Mazzard and 

 Mahaleb seeds could be obtained. In this travelling nursery, Lewelling 

 brought to Oregon cherries of the Bigarreau, the English Morello and 

 probably of several other types. The label of one of the cherries was lost 

 and this unknown was renamed Royal Ann. Unfortimately, it was one of 

 the best known of all cherries that for the time being lost its identity — 

 the Napoleon, which probably has been cioltivated for three centuries and 

 since 1820 has borne the name of the great General. With dogged 

 perseverance the West Coast fruit-growers continue the name " Royal 

 Ann " to the great confusion of systematic pomology. 



But of chief import to cherry culture were the subsequent operations in 

 the Lewelling nursery at Milwaukee. Lacking proper stocks, Seth Lewell- 

 ing, who had succeeded Henderson in the niu"sery business, grew a great 

 many cherries from seeds. From these he afterward selected and dis- 

 seminated varieties that have made Oregon famous not only for what 

 are probably the finest sweet cherries in the world but for a long list of 

 new and desirable varieties — as Republican, Lincoln, Willamette Seedling 

 and Bing. We call to mind no greater success in bringing into being new 

 fruits from a few lots of seedlings than in the case of Lewelling and his 

 cherries. Lewelling's work stimulated others to breed cherries and among 

 many seedlings that have since been named in the Northwest the Lambert 

 and Oregon are well worthy of mention. 



The facts of time and place in the beginning of cherry culture which 

 we have tried to set forth in this chapter have, we think, some historical 

 and narrative interest. Yet, the main value of the facts are not in history 

 and story. Rather, at least so we hope they will be interpreted, these 

 brief records show what the crude material was out of which our present 

 ciiltivated cherry flora has been developed; what the steps were in the 

 domestication and development of the cherry; what economic piuposes 

 they have served; and who the peoples are and what the methods were 

 in bringing the cherry to its present state of development. In a word, 

 fi the chapter will not have served the purpose for which it is mainly intended 

 if it does not furnish facts and inspirations toward the further evolution 

 of the cherry. 



