90 MASSACHUSETTS IIOUTI CULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the same money. In 1807 Judge Peters said he had an orchard of 

 two hundred peach trees, and he complained that they were sub- 

 ject to disease and decay ; and that for forty years they had been 

 short lived. This was near Philadelphia. Further south and in the 

 western country and in some parts of New Jersey, they were durable 

 and productive, as they had formerly been with him. The subject 

 before the meeting is not degeneration in Massachusetts, but every- 

 where, and it should be remembered that this is not the native cli- 

 mate of the peach. The varieties are as perfect as ever. 



Dr. Van Mons's theory of producing improved varieties of fruit 

 was by beginning with the wild species and sowing the seed 

 through successive generations ; but any one w'ould be called crazy 

 now who should begin with the wild Fragaria Virginiana to im- 

 prove the strawberry. He asserted that after several generations 

 as good apples could be got from seed as by grafting. But the 

 Seckel, Sheldon, Fulton, and all other fine native pears have coine 

 from cultivated varieties. There may be degeneration of culture ; 

 and we should be very cautious in attributing its effects to the de- 

 generation of varieties. 



Mr. Hadwen said that the fact of degeneration is not changed 

 because we can point to some of its causes ; but what has become 

 of the old varieties? We cannot tell how long varieties can be 

 made to exist ; we may graft on vigorous stocks but even then the 

 period of existence of varieties is unknown. 



William C. Strong objected to the term ''degeneration;" he 

 would say "- liability to disease ;" the instances quoted seem to mili- 

 tate against the use of the former word. The Flemish Beauty pear 

 has not degenerated. In some sections as fine specimens of this 

 variety are still produced as were ever seen. So also in some sec- 

 tions of the country the peach is as vigorous as ever ; so is the Keens's 

 Seedling strawberry in England. Trees are sometimes invigorated 

 by grafting on stronger stocks ; the magnolia is an instance. The 

 question is whether the tree has become more exposed to disease 

 than it once was. The cracking of the White Doyenne pear may 

 be caused by the soil having become exhausted of some element 

 or elements necessary for its perfection. 



Mrs. H. L. T. Wolcott asked, Could not the same Power which 

 has limited the life of man to threescore years and ten have limited 

 the life of trees also? Fruits and flowers certainly have gone out 

 of date. There mav be a conscitusuess of old age on their part. 



