222 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 4 



From the Horticultural Register. 



MR. VAN MONs' METHOD OF RAISING GOOD 

 TRUIT TREES PROM THE SKED.* 



Translated from the French, by H. A. S. Dearborn. 

 Extract from the translator's introduction. 



"In the whole history of discoveries, there is no 

 one who is entitled to Jiio;her commendation, for 

 the attention and industry hcstowed, as well as 

 lor that remarkable fidelit}' of desinjn, devotion ol 

 purpose and indomitable perseverance, which 

 Avere evinced. A Tone, unaided, unpatronizcd, and 

 in fact discouraged — if it were possible to discour- 

 age such a man — by the total absence ol liivor 

 and protection, tlie prejudices and customs of the 

 enUghtened as well as the ignorant, and the ap- 

 palhng disasters he encountered, still he nobly 

 sought to establish a theory, which if even found 

 correct, was not of a character to produce imme- 

 diate eclat, or affluence; and would require a pe- 

 riod probably greater than Avas consumed in the 

 experiment, to give general publicity to his fame. 

 He appears, in the course of his arduous and pro- 

 longed researches, like the incarnation of wisdom 

 awaiting, with cool, collected, and determined re- 

 solution, lor the recurrence of results, which, when 

 obtained, atlorded no other compensation or honor, | 

 than the enjoyment which a groat mind derives 

 from the discovery of a new fact, or the correct- 

 ness of a hazardous conjecture. 



"The theory and experiments of Mr. Van Mons 

 have established a most important era in the his- 

 tory of pomology. Il has resolved a question 

 which, if ever even proposed, had bid defiance to 

 all preceding ages. The comparatively small 

 number of the varieties of each kind of fruit, were 

 considered as the product of some other clime 

 than that where they were commonly cultivated, 

 or the accidental and mysterious present of for- 

 tune, in one of her sportive moods; but the success 

 which has attended the experiments of the Bel- 

 gian philosopher, has disclosed the ])roccss, by 

 which nature accomplishes her wonderful work in 

 the creation of new fruits, and has enabled man to 

 avail of the secret, in such a manner, as not only 

 to replace those which are necessarily extermi- 

 nated by age, but to multiply the varieties to an 

 illimitable extent. 



"After the lapse of half a century, the great 

 merit of Mr. Van Mons begins to be properly ap- 

 preciated, and he has Ibrtunately lived long enough 

 to reap the only reward he desired, the gratitude 

 ol the world. There have been a combination of 



*This article is not only valuable and interesting as 

 throwing new lights on an important branch of a^ricul- 

 lural science, over vviiich total darkness has heretofore 

 prevailed— but there is another source of interest pre- 

 sented in the detail of the long and untiring labors of 

 Van Mons, under the greatest discouragements — and 

 the successful results of his long course of experiment. 

 In this point of view, M. Poiteau supplies for our 

 journal part of the series of notices of distinguished 

 agriculturists, which we have promised and already 

 commenced, and which we hope hereafter greatly to 

 extend. 



The length of the account given by M. Poiteau, for- 

 bids copying (as above) more than a small part of the 

 translator's introductory remarks. — Ed. Far. Reg. 



circumstances, Avhich liave iiad a most propitious 

 influence, in giving notoriety to his highly com- 

 mendable efforts. The rapidly increased taste for 

 gardening and all branches of tillage, within the 

 last thirty years, throughout western Europe and 

 this country; the establishment of horticultural 

 societies, and extensive nur.series; the attention 

 which learned and eminent men have bestowed on 

 usefld and ornamental planting, and the nume- 

 rous publications which have appeared for difius- 

 ing intelligence on all these subjects, seem to have 

 been simultaneously brought in aid of the great la- 

 bors of Mr. Van Mons; and to render them pecu- 

 liarly interesting and acceptable. He has been 

 fortunate, too, in the acquisition of such illustrious 

 friends and colaborators, as Soulange Bodin and 

 Poiteau, to comprehend and make known hi.=! 

 valuable researches and precious contributions of 

 excellent fruits. Those enlightened and gene- 

 rous heralds of his deeds, have rendered the name 

 of Van Mons as familiar and dear to every intelli- 

 gent cultivator of the earth, as those of a Cato, a 

 Bacon, and a DuHamel." 



"But there are unfortunaiely dark and odious 

 incidents in the history of his country, and which 

 have too often been the reproach of most nations 

 — neglect and ingratitude towards one of its most 

 illustrious men and greatest benefactors. Instead 

 of being cheered on by public countenance and ap- 

 probation, he received neither direct assistance or 

 encouragement. Kven protection from outrage 

 was not afforded him; and three times Avere his in- 

 valuable nurseries exterminated under the sanction 

 of the go\-ernment. Still, m defiance of all the dil- 

 flculties which he was compelled to encounter, he 

 has triumphed gloriously. 



"It is much to be desired, that Mr. Van Mons' 

 theory should be adopted in this country, and more 

 especially, as his process can be commenced at the 

 point, which he was only enabled to reach, after 

 extending his experiments through a period of 

 forty years. It was not, until in the fourth and 

 fifth generations of his trees raised fi'om the seed, 

 that fhej' began to yield good and excellent fruit. 

 He Avas obliged to begin with seed produced by 

 wild trees; but in this country a great number of 

 superior fruits have sprung ufi, as was predicted 

 by Poiteau, from the planting of the seeds of suc- 

 cessive generations of natural fruits. This has 

 arisen from the manner in Avhich our wide spread- 

 ing population has been extended, Avhich did not 

 allow of that attention to the selection and propa- 

 gation of the best varieties offruits, by scions and 

 buds; and nurseries are of verj' modern establish- 

 ment, even in the oldest and nio.st densely inhabit- 

 ed jiortions of the union. Besides the general ina- 

 bility to purchase and transplant to a great dis- 

 tance, valuable trees, the whole attention and la- 

 bor of^the pioneers of the wilderness, were required 

 to procure the means of subsistence; and the luxu- 

 ries of an orchard and a garden could not be ob- 

 tained, until the necessaries of lile Avere first se- 

 cured, and even tlien fruit could only be generally 

 multiplied, like the other products of agriculture; 

 consequentl}', most of the trees have been raised 

 from the seed, and ha.vingbeen commonly left in 

 the natural slate, their seeds have been again 

 planted, and so on, from generation to generation, 

 until we now find those superior kinds ol fruit ap- 

 pear, in various parts of the United States, Avhich 



