DEGENERATION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 83 



natural lives of the original sorts of pear trees have been longer 

 than the joint or aggregate lives of several generations of men ; 

 and also that the product of fruit from an original stock can be 

 artificially prolonged by engrafting to an undetermined extent. 



The apple trees that were grown from seed planted by the earl}' 

 settlers, and cultivated as early as 1663, in many instances proved 

 long lived, some reaching the age of two hundred or more years ; 

 these trees attained great size, and bore immense crops of natural 

 fruit. I know of apple trees still bearing good crops that have 

 every appearance of being one hundred and fift}' years old ; and I 

 know of engrafted apple trees more than sixt}' years old that are 

 still productive and unimpaired. On the other hand I can point 

 to an orchard which was set fortj'-five years ago, and has received 

 high cultivation, that has already become old and worthless, hav- 

 ing no force to make healthy wood or bear fruit. And I read that 

 apple orchards in some of the Northwestern States do not average 

 more than twenty years in bearing. 



The process of degeneration or decay of the apple seems to be 

 less rapid than that of the pear ; out of sixty varieties, mostly of 

 American origin, grown fifty years ago, more than forty are now 

 grown and esteemed. In fact I can recall but few sorts once ex- 

 tensively grown that are proving worthless ; and in reviewing the 

 history of the apple it must be admitted that it is not only the 

 most valuable fruit in this section of the countr}', but also long 

 lived, and is manifesting at present but few signs of decay. 



The Early Harvest and the Newtown Pippin seem to be on the 

 wane, and a few more are tending in that direction. On the other 

 hand the Rhode Island Greening, known in cultivation for one 

 hundred and fifty years, is seemingly as good as ever, both in tree 

 and fruit ; and promises to last for a long time. The Costard, 

 one of the oldest apples grown in England, was recorded in the 

 thirteenth century. 



Among the fruits tliat were formerly plentiful the peach is the 

 best demonstration of degenerating tendencies ; it is the one that 

 seems least able to withstand the departure from its normal 

 c"ondition occasioned by engrafting and modern usage, and the 

 effects of climate. 



In former years the peach was grown from the stone exclusively^ 

 and engrafting was not practiced. Then the trees not only es- 

 caped disease but withstood the vicissitudes of the climate unim- 



