236 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



smooth apple affected a rough-coated kind. Another instance has 

 been given of two veiy different apple-trees growing close to each 

 other, which bore fruit resembling each other, but only on the adjoining 

 branches. It is, however, almost superfluous to adduce 1hese or 

 other cases after that of the St. Vallery apple, which, from the abor- 

 tion of the stamens, does not produce pollen, but, being annually 

 fertilized by the girls of the neighborhood with pollen of many 

 kinds, bears fruit differing from each other in size, flavor, and color, 

 but resembling in character the hermaphrodite kinds by which they 

 have been fertilized." 



It is not to be expected that the fruit of all trees of the 

 same species, as the apple for instance, would be equally sen- 

 sitive to the action of foreign pollen. The seeds of all varie- 

 ties of the same species are not equally affected by cross-fer- 

 tilization. In the case of Indian corn, where cases of mixture 

 of varieties are very abundant, it is well known to observers 

 that the kernels of some varieties are much more affected in 

 form and color by foreign pollen lhan of others. An analo- 

 gous difference among animals of the same species is observed 

 by breeders. Some mares give colts like the sire, while 

 others stamp upon the young their own characteristics. 



It is not probable that the St. Vallery apple is the only kind 

 that is specially sensitive to this action of foreign pollen. 

 Reasoning from the cases that are known of the change of the 

 fruit-covering by cross-fertilization, and from analogy in the 

 case of animals, we should infer that some trees would bear 

 better fruit when planted in orchards by themselves, so that 

 every tree could be fertilized by pollen from trees of its own 

 variety, than when surrounded by trees of inferior kinds. 

 This question of affecting the covering or soft fruit directly, 

 for better or for worse, is entirely distinct from the question 

 of benefiting the stock by crossing. That is a question of 

 affecting the stock through new power, given to the seed by 

 crossing with another variety ; this is a question of affecting, 

 through the action of pollen, the covering of the seed for a 

 single year, through the influence of the same pollen that 

 affects the seed itself. 



When trees bear but few apples they are seldom as good 

 as when there are plenty, though we might argue that a tree 



