26 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



pie, within his knowledge, which he supposes to bo 

 one hundred and forty years old ; and a pear tree, 

 supposed to be two hundred years old. It is an un- 

 doubted fact, and worthy of observation, that all the 

 different trees, of the same variety, have a wonderful 

 tendency to similarity of appearance among them- 

 selves ; and that the parent stock, and all engrafted 

 from it, have a greater resemblance to each other, 

 than can be found in any part of the animal creation ; 

 and this habit does not vary to any extent of age. 

 Whatever is said here respecting the apple, is equally 

 applicable to the pear tree. Some years ago, from 

 due investigation and thorough conviction, Mr. B. 

 propagated the principle, that all the grafts, taken 

 from the first tree or parent stock, or any of the de- 

 scendants, will for some generations thrive ; but when 

 this first stock shall, by mere dint of old age, fell into 

 actual decay, a nihility of vegetation, the descendants, 

 however young, or in whatever situation they may 

 be, will gradually decline ; and, from that time, it 

 would be imprudent, in point of profit, to attempt 

 propagating that variety from any of them. This is the 

 dogma which must be received as undoubtedly true. 

 From the time the kernel germinates for apple quick, 

 should the plant be disposed to form a valuable varie- 

 ty, there will appear a regular progressive change or 

 improvement in the organization of the leaves, until 

 that variety has stood and grown sufficient to blossom 

 and come to full bearing ; that is, from the state of in- 

 fancy to maturity; and it is this and other circum- 

 stances, by which the inquisitive eye is enabled to 

 form the selection, among those appearing likely to 

 become valuable fruits. But from that time, the new 

 variety, or select plant, being compared with all the 

 engraftments which may be taken from it, or any of 

 them, these shall show a most undeviating sameness 

 among themselves. The different varieties of fruit 



