OF FRUIT TREES. 19 



PRODUCTION OF NEW VARIETIES. 



The apple tree does not enjoy indefinite longevity. 

 Each species has its periods of infancy, youth, matu- 

 rity, and decrepit age ; and, in process of time, it is 

 totally annihilated ; nor is it in the power of art to 

 protract its existence beyond its limited duration. 

 Hence we frequently hear the complaint, that many 

 varieties of apple, formerly held in high estimation, 

 are no longer to be obtained, having entirely run out, 

 as it is termed. The seeds of apples, however, contain 

 the germ of an infinite variety of fruit. New varie- 

 ties, and some of excellent quality, are continually 

 produced from seeds. The famous winter pippin was 

 the spontaneous production from a seed at Newtown, 

 Long Island. But there is no dependence upon ob- 

 taining a particular variety by planting the seeds. 

 "A hundred seeds of the golden pippin will all produce 

 fine large-leaved apple trees, bearing fruit of consider- 

 able size ; but the tastes and colours of the apple from 

 each will be different, and none will be the same in 

 kind with those of the pippin itself. Some will be 

 sweet, some bitter, some sour, some mawkish, some 

 aromatick, some yellow, some green, some red, some 

 streaked." The seeds for planting, should always be 

 selected from the most highly cultivated fruit, and the 

 fairest and ripest specimen of such variety. In some 

 instances, a new and valuable variety may thus be ob- 

 tained, and the seedlings will afford some indication 

 of their future produce, even before they attain to 

 their bearing state. The larger and thicker the leaves 

 of a seedling, and the more expanded its blossoms, the 

 more likety it is to produce a good variety of fruit. 

 Short-leaved trees should never be selected, for these 

 approach nearer to the original standard ; whereas 

 the other qualities indicate the influence of cultivation. 

 Every fru^t tree must attain to a certain age before it 



