ON FRUIT TREES. 85 



SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT ON FRUIT TREES. 



The committee were instructed by the Trustees to take in- 

 to consideration the theory, that the "chance of life in a scion 

 is affected by the chance of life in the original seedling which 

 began the species." It will be recollected, that it was distinct- 

 ly asserted in the address before the Society in 1849, that " we 

 cannot prolong the existence of any particular kind of fruit, by 

 engrafting from old to young trees, beyond the natural life of 

 the original tree, or the time it would cease to bear fruit by 

 old age, if living." Doubts having been entertained by tsome, 

 of the correctness of this assertion, it was thought to be a fair 

 subject for inquiry. For if it be true, then before we begin to 

 cultivate particular kinds of fruit, however superior they may 

 be, we must inquire not only into the quality of the fruit, but 

 as to the time when it first came into being. It being gener- 

 ally admitted that the age of the apple tree is about two hun- 

 dred years — our oldest Iruits will have to give place to those of 

 later origin. The experience on our own shores is too limited 

 to furnish facts to answer this inquiry in a satisfactory manner. 

 On looking into English books we find one of their most 

 celebrated apples, the Golden Pippin, spoken of by Evelyn as 

 early as 1660, as being greatly admired and much cultivated. 

 It has continued to be so ever since. Perhaps it will be said, 

 there is no certain evidence that the fruit now passing under 

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

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

 pable 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 coun- 

 try 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- 



