1895.] . ESSAYS. 13 



The first apple having originated in New England, that has proved 

 a great favorite, and been widely disseminated over the whole coun- 

 try, is the Rhode Island Greening, having its origin on the island of 

 Rhode Island, in the town of Portsmouth. The original tree stood 

 near an ancient tavern known, in 1765, as " Green's Inn," and for 

 many years it received the appellation of " Green's Inn Apple," it 

 becoming a favorite with the travelling public that stopped at the inn, 

 and was early disseminated over the State and country. 



Among other seedling varieties were the Foxwell, Pignose, Bach- 

 elor Button, and Pearmains, which, having lived their allotted time, 

 have passed away to make room for the newer and approved sorts 

 now so generally grown. 



In the earlier times, the land being new and rich in all the elements 

 requisite for tree growth, the accumulation of ages, trees did not 

 require or receive the care in their cultivation necessary at the present 

 time, 



John Josselyu, who styled himself a gentleman, made several visits 

 from England to this country, in 1G63, describes fruits growing in 

 New England of the apple, pear, cherry, quince, plum, and barberry 

 trees, and has observed that trees raised from the seed or stone pro- 

 duce fair and good fruit, without grafting, and the country is replen- 

 ished with fair and large orchards ; he also speaks of one Mr. Wool- 

 cot, a magistrate in Connecticut Colony, who affirmed that he made 

 five hundred hogsheads of cider out of his own orchard in one year ; 

 he did not state whether said Woolcot was drunk or sober, or if it 

 was much of a year for cider, either. George Feuwick and John 

 Mason, of Saybrook, Conn., as early as 1641, are reported as grow- 

 ing the apple, cherry, and peach. The fruit of an apple tree which 

 was given to the Apostle Eliot, with an acre of land, by the Indians, 

 was exhibited at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1833, 

 called the Orange Sweet. Another apple tree imported from 

 England, and planted in the garden of the Wyllis family in Hartford, 

 before 1650, produced fruit in 1822. These interesting relics tencl to 

 prove the apple to be long-lived when grown from the seed, as was 

 the custom in the earlier times. 



Among the pears of ancient origin, and are interesting relics, are 

 the Orange Pear, planted about 1640; the Iron or Black Pear, said to 

 be more than two centuries old ; the Pinneo Pear, of Connecticut, said 

 to be one hundred and sixty years old. An Orange Pear tree, 

 described by Chief Justice Paul Dudley, in 1726, that measured forty 

 feet in height, and six feet six inches in girth a yard from the 



