NEW VARIETIES OF FRUITS. 33 



other individuals in separate states. But it can never, of 

 itself and alone, produce or create those opposite qual- 

 ities, which had never existed before in any individual, but 

 are as directly opposed to all that had ever before existed, 

 as white is to red or to black ; and we must look to other 

 causes for such important changes. 



The following mode, by which the Belgians have suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining so many new and extraordinary varie- 

 ties, is from the account written by Dr. Van Mons ; and 

 for this valuable article, we are indebted to the researches 

 of General Dearborn, by whom this account was inserted 

 in Vol. vn. No. 28 of the New England Farmer. 



" The Belgians give no preference to the seeds of table 

 fruits, when they plant to obtain new ameliorated kinds. 

 When their plants appear, they do not, like us, found their 

 hopes upon individuals exempt from thorns, furnished with 

 large leaves, and remarkable for the size and beauty of 

 their wood ; on the contrary, they prefer the most thorny 

 subjects, provided that the thorns are long, and that the 

 plants are furnished with many buds or eyes, placed very 

 near together. This last circumstance appears to them, 

 and with reason, to be an indication that the tree will 

 speedily produce fruit. As soon as the young individuals 

 which offer these favorable appearances, afford grafts or 

 buds, capable of being inoculated upon other stocks, these 

 operations are performed the apples on paradise, and the 

 pears on quince stocks to hasten their fructification. The 

 first fruit is generally very bad; but the Belgians do not 

 regard that: whatever it is, they carefully collect the seeds 

 and plant them ; from these a second generation is pro- 

 duced, which commonly shows the commencement of an 

 amelioration. As soon as the young plants of this second 

 generation have scions, or buds, proper for the purpose, 

 they are transferred to other stocks, as were the preceding ; 

 the third and fourth generation are treated in the same 

 manner, and until there are finally produced ameliorated 

 fruits worthy of being propagated. M. Van Mons asserts, 

 that the peach and apricot, treated in this manner, afford 

 excellent fruit in the third generation. The apple does 

 not yield superior fruit before the fourth or fifth generation. 

 The pear is slower in its amelioration ; but M. Van Mons 

 informs us, that, in the sixth generation, it no longer pro- 



