ESSEX SOCIETY. 43 



this name, is a direct descendant of the original stock. It 

 may have come from seedlings, so like the original, as to be 

 incapable of being distinguished. This is possible, though 

 not probable. Human life is too short, for the testimony 

 of the same individual to be applicable to the beginning 

 and the end of any particular variety. The culture of trees, 

 in this country at least, has not been so scientifically and 

 systematically pursued, as to warrant confident assertion on 

 the subject. 



The Newtown Pippin, a native of Long Island, one of the 

 most celebrated American apples, has been known and culti- 

 vated for one hundred and fifty years, at least. The original 

 stock has been dead fifty years or more. But still this variety 

 is now cultivated as extensively as ever, without any indica- / 

 tions of old age. If three fourths of its period is past and 

 gone, might Ave not expect some indications of approaching 

 decay ? 



The Baldwin, the most popular and most valuable of all our 

 Massachusetts apples, has now been known for more than one 

 hundred years. Never was it in more vigorous condition than 

 the present season, — yielding more than all other sorts com- 

 bined. Whether the original tree, that was marked by the 

 WOODPECKER, at Wiluiington, county of Middlesex, and taken 

 into the care of Col. Baldwin, is still living, we are not advised ; 

 but if it be not, and has already gone down fully ripe, if this 

 theory be true, it is important to cultivators to be distinctly 

 informed, before they set out trees, whose days are numbered. 

 When we took pen in hand, we hoped to have been able to 

 throw some light on this subject, but the more we investigate, 

 the less confident are our impressions.* We will not presume 



* The oldest fruit tree we have ever seen, and probably the oldest to be found in New 

 England, whose history can be authentically traced, is the Endicott pear tree, (so called,) 

 on the farm now owned by one of the committee. It can be certainly traced two hundred 

 and twenty years. Many others were then set, in what was called the orchard, all of which 

 are now gone. On the same farm, there are now man}- trees bearing what is called the En- ■ 

 dicott apple, probably produced by scions taken from the same orchard. The history of the j 

 apple trees is less certainly known than the pear tree. Eighty years since the pear tree is / 

 remembered to have been quite large and productive. An accident then happened to a boy, 

 who fell from its upper branches to the ground, who sixty years aftenvards, was accustomed 

 to speak of his adventure with much sensibility. This pear tree has made wood the present 

 season, on its principal branches, from six to twelve inches. These scions have a healthy 



