34 THE BALDWIN APPLE. 



Society, Avho appears to have taken much pains to investigate the history of 

 this apple, has given the following account in a communication to the 

 Horticulturist of January, 1847. 



" This justly esteemed fruit originated in Wilmington, near Boston, in 

 the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts. The original tree grew on the 

 farm of a Mr. Butters, and was known for a time as the Butters apple. 

 The tree was frequented and pecked by the woodpeckers, and Mr. Butters 

 called it the Woodpecker Apple, Avhich was soon abbreviated to the Pecker 

 Apple. My trees, which I set out twentyeight years since, are registered 

 " Peckers.^'' This fruit must have been knoAvn about a century. Orchards 

 were propagated from Mr. Butters's tree pretty freely about seventyfive 

 years since, by Dr. Jabez Brown, of Wilmington, and Col. Baldwin, of 

 Woburn, and their sons, to whom the public are principally indebted for 

 bringing the fruit so generally into notice. From Col. Baldwin it took the 

 name of Baldivin, by which the fruit is now every where known." 



The growth is vigorous, but it is a kind Avhich after a plentiful crop 

 requires more than the usual rest under ordinary cultivation ; hence it is 

 called an excellent bearer only every alternate year ; it is very possible 

 that an improved cultivation might obviate this difficulty, although it might 

 perhaps shorten the age of the tree, which, however, would be but a 

 trifling objection to the process. It appears to suit almost any soil, but a 

 rich well cultivated loam certainly produces superior specimens. 



Mr. A. D. Williams, of Roxbury, has a Baldwin apple tree, one half of 

 Avhich bears plentifully one year, the other half the succeeding year, each 

 half taking its alternate year of rest. From the inquiries made it seems 

 probable that the scions with which it was grafted were from two different 

 trees, one being in its year of rest, the other in its year of production. 



From its rich flavor, added to the inestimable quality of keeping sound 

 until June, this apple is of the greatest commercial value : it is therefore 

 more universally cultivated as an orchard fruit, in Massachusetts, than any 

 other kind. The exports consist principally of the Baldivin, and there are 

 few spots on a farm more valuable than a well cultivated orchard of this 

 apple. 



