THE APPLF, PEAR, AND QUINCE. 163 



lief that these varieties, with leaves approaching in size 

 and structure those of the common apples, are hybrids with 

 the latter class. But this cannot be true, as in the early 

 days (1856) on the writer's farm in Benton County, Iowa, 

 several trees on a thicket border bore bright yellow crabs 

 larger in size than any Soulard we have since grown, but 

 not quite as large as the Fluke. At that early date there 

 was not a bearing apple-tree in that vicinity, and the trees 

 bearing the large yellow apples dated back to the years 

 when the buffalo ranged over Iowa prairie. 



These select varieties attain quite large size under culti- 

 vation. On the college farm at Ames may be seen two 

 trees of Soulard that are larger in stem and have greater 

 spread of top than any Duchess apple-tree of their age in 

 this region. But the quality of fruit of these large-fruited 

 varieties is not as varied as has been claimed. All of them 

 have the smell and flavor of the wild crabs of our thickets. 



As to improvement in size and quality by crossing with 

 cultivated varieties our long experience is given in section 

 (106). In all cases we were able to secure crossed fruits, 

 as was evidenced by change of form, but without a single 

 exception the fruits were destitute of perfect seeds. All 

 attempts to bud or graft it with scions of our cultivated 

 apple have resulted in poor union of the woods, soon 

 broken off by storms. The Bethlehemite for a time 

 seemed an exception. Top-worked on the native crab this 

 variety soon came into bearing and at first the fruit was 

 of the usual size and flavor. But the size in four years 

 became smaller and the flavor was decidedly disagreeable, 

 resulting, as afterwards ascertained, from poor union of 

 the wood of the two species. 



By culture and selection it is now evident we can 

 increase the size of our best varieties, but the peculiar per- 

 fume and a stringency of flesh will be apt to be retained in 



