16 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



Analogy would lead to such a conclusion ; for, as a general rule here, 

 of fifty seedling trees, in almost any orchard, at least five will be 

 tbund worthy of notice, and worth preserving in their natural state, 

 though not desirable for propagation. 



" From personal observation, you are already aware that some 

 fruits of high repute East, are nearly worthless here ; and that others 

 are wonderfully improved by the peculiarities of our soil and climate. 

 It is thought, too, that many old fruits have become so changed as to 

 be no longer easily recognized ; and, as their history has been lost, 

 and several local synonyms have been used to designate them, much 

 difficulty and doubt attend our Western nomenclature. 



" Perhaps these difficulties will soon be removed, and the doubts 

 cleared up, as in Ohio, by the re-fruiting of our celebrated varieties 

 at the East, from scions obtained here, or by further observation on 

 the fructification here, under the true names. 



" Many of our varieties, of the first trees transplanted in Western 

 Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin, were disseminated by tree pedlars 

 from the region of the Wabash, in Indiana, and central-eastern Illi- 

 nois ; and I am only aware that some of their sorts came from Ohio, 

 and others from Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, 

 and a few, doubtless, from the Eastern States ; though what propor- 

 tion, or what varieties of those brought us by these tree pedlars, I am 

 unable to determine. Very few were sold under EASTERN NAMES, 

 however, and, now and then, a variety is, doubtless, of native origin. 



" Among these pedlars' trees, the RED JUNE is decidedly the most 

 valuable, and the MILAM the most abundant. 



" Here-away, I know the origin of four-fifths of the trees planted 

 out in the last ten or twelve years, apart from the pedlars' trees, 

 which continued to arrive up to three or four years ago. The Buffalo 

 nurseries, and the Cleveland dealers, have furnished the most. The 

 nurseries of Chatauque County sent some early, and the Rochester 

 establishments a great many more recently, and a few ten or twelve 

 years ago. The Flushing nurseries are also represented in our 

 orchards, and, quite lately, those of Michigan and Northern Indiana ; 

 and, in fact, there is scarce an eastern establishment which has not 

 sent trees to the lake region of Illinois and Wisconsin." 



Similar to those named, is that of most Western States, in the his- 

 toric introduction and origin of fruits. Chance seedlings, of value 

 sufficient to retaining of the original tree, are abundant, while those 

 meriting a first place are rare. The character of " very good " will 

 apply to probably one-tenth of the fruit, while that of "best" will 

 hardly apply to one-thousandth. 



Of the value of fruits as food, and the tendency to promote health 

 of system and morality of character, much has been written ; but the 

 following, by Doctor Kennicott, sums up all in few words : 



