EXPERIMENTS WITH SEEDLINGS. 113 



soon be referred for their origin to any other fruits in their own 

 class as to their real parents ; and in regard to numbers of 

 them, the incredulity of the knowing ones themselves would be 

 excited by the disclosure of their true parentage. He would 

 give a few examples of these singular variations. [Which he 

 did, in part, by specimens exhibited to the audience.] 



Of two seedling Green Gages, one — described in Downing's 

 new edition of " Fruits and Fruit-Trees of America " as Foote's 

 Golden Gage — was nearly twice as large as the parent, of a 

 clear golden-yellow color, vinous in flavor, and a clingstone ; 

 the other but about one-half as large as the parent, of a dark 

 blue color, and a freestone. An Imperial Gage seedling, much 

 resembling its parent in form and size, was of a dark purple 

 color, not of vinous flavor. A Northern Spy (apple) seedling, 

 only half as large as the original, greatly resembled, externally, 

 the old Russet Pearmain of some of our ancient orchards, was 

 very dense in texture, and promised to be a good keeper, and a 

 very rich fruit. A seedling Williams' Red, nearly as large as 

 the parent, darker in color, softer in texture and as mild in 

 flavor, would keep all winter. Of two Yellow Bellflower seed- 

 lings, one was three-fourths as large as the parent, resembling 

 it in form and in its ground color, but having uniformly a bril- 

 liant crimson cheek, kept as well, was more productive, and of 

 even higher flavor ; the other would be sufficiently described by 

 calling it a mere Yellow Crab, which it resembled in all its 

 characteristics. A Twenty Ounce seedling much resembled its 

 parent in form, size and color, but was sweet. Of two Mother 

 seedlings, one, larger than the parent and more beautiful in its 

 (similar) form and color, was a siveet apple, keeping till spring ; 

 the other very small, pure white, was a sweet apple also, and a 

 late keeper. Of three Porter seedlings, one greatly resembled 

 the parent externally, except in a brilliant crimson cheek, but 

 rotted badly on the tree ; the other two, smaller than the parent, 

 and without any attractions of form, color or flavor, were both 

 sweet. A Winter Golden sweet seedling was larger than the 

 parent, Bellflower shaped, of the purest white, fine-grained, ex- 

 ceedingly tender, mildly sub-acid, and ripened in October. A 

 Bartlett (pear) seedling resembled not a little, externally, the 

 Merriam, and was well-flavored, but rotted quickly at the core. 

 A Bleeker's Meadow seedling, very much resembling the parent 



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