XX IV. J SUPERLATIVE VARIETIES PERSIST. 389 



for the great difference in the age of the two coun- 

 tries. That is, varieties disappear more rapidly here ; 

 but a certain stability will come with age, as in other 

 countries, and we shall then probably hear less about 

 the running out of the tree fruits. 



In 1892, eight hundred and seventy- eight varieties 

 of apples were offered for sale in North America. 

 This great list must contain enough meritorious vari- 

 eties to supplant all the old ones which have weak 

 points. This leads me to say that nearly all the old 

 varieties which possess superlative merits still exist ; 

 and this fact is proof that varieties do not wear out, 

 but drop out. Any nurseryman knows that the Isa- 

 bella grape has not run out, but that it is crowded 

 out by Catawba and Concord. The Barnard peach, 

 still grown here and there as of old, is driven out in 

 nearly all peach regions by brighter and larger varie- 

 ties. It would be but a few years before such peaches 

 as Amsden, Alexander and Hale would disappear if 

 a good variety of their season were introduced. You 

 may be inclined to doubt the last statement — that 

 nearly all the superlative old varieties still exist — 

 and cite me to the fact that the Esopus Spitzenburgh 

 apple. White Doyenne pear and some others are little 

 grown now. This leads me to ask : 



4. Are not certain varieties peculiarly liable to dis- 

 ease or insect injury f It is well known that some 

 varieties are much more subject to fungous and insect 

 attacks than others, and when they are seriously in- 

 jured year by year the cultivation of these varieties 

 becomes restricted, or may stop entirely. The Kitta- 

 tinny blackberry, attacked by the red rust, the lona 

 grape, attacked by phylloxera, and the Fameuse 



