DEGENERATION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 87 



The subject, as regards each fruit, seems to be governed b}' 

 separate laws and conditions ; and where such infinite variety 

 exists, it renders equally limitless the extent of possible inquiry', 

 and opens a wide field for experiments and experience ; and also 

 ma}' be prolific in topics for discussion by the members of this 

 Society. 



Discussion. 



Charles M. Hovey was called on by the Chair, and said that the 

 subject had been treated by the essayist in a very able manner, 

 and that it deserved the thought and attention of the members of 

 the Society. That fruits degenerate we verj^ well know, but 

 whether from unfavorable climates or from other causes is not 

 settled. The old varieties of peaches are still in perfection in 

 England ; within a week he had seen the Grosse Mignonne and 

 George the Fourth recommended for cultivation as among the best 

 varieties there. Of strawberries the Keens's Seedling, introduced 

 in 1821, and the British Queen, originated about forty years ago, 

 are still favorite varieties ; though the latter is not suited to our 

 climate. The Hovey's Seedling and the Boston Pine were raised 

 by the speaker in 1833, and in his ground still give as good crops 

 of fruit as ever. The Wilson, which has been more widely culti- 

 vated than any other variety, is still very good. We cannot raise 

 the Flemish Beauty and Easter Beurre pears ; they have de- 

 generated here, but in California they are as fine as ever, and 

 whether their degeneracy here is inherent in the variety is the 

 question, Mr. Knight's opinion that every tree propagated from 

 a seedling, being a part of that tree, perishes when the lifetime of 

 the original tree expires, has been proved fallacious. The trouble 

 is that the lifetime of one man, or even two, is too short to make 

 reliable observations on this subject. Men must take it up in suc- 

 cession, if possible, but hitherto they have not done so, and the 

 result is that we are continually beginning, and never come to any 

 certain conclusions on the subject. 



Grafting is undoubtedly sometimes injurious ; the stock and 

 scion do not seem to be congenial. Many varieties will not suc- 

 ceed on the quince stock ; with the speaker the Glout Morceau and 

 Angouleme flourish ; and some of his trees have, sent out roots from 

 the pear, while others have not. He could see no degeneracy in 

 pears except in a few varieties, such as the White Do3'enue, Flemish 

 Beauty, and Easter Beurre. 



