204 Hardy Apples. — Siberians, 



is not only very small, but is arranged on a raceme, like a bunch of currants ; 

 and the seeds are peculiar, quite different from those of the common apple. 

 Botanists have referred these crabs, however, to this species baccata, and 

 have been followed by all our leading pomologists. One of our common 

 cultiv^ated varieties, the Large Red, has been called Pyrits pnuiifolia by 

 Loudon \ but this is manifestly only a variety, and not a distinct species. 



So deep an interest has been taken in this question of Siberian apples, 

 particularly among Northern planters, that it seemed well worthy of thor- 

 ough investigation. The Siberians constitute a distinct species, or, at least, 

 a very distinct sub-species. They are remarkable for their hardiness in an 

 extreme climate ; thriving on the stormy heights of the Keweewenah penin- 

 sula of Northern Michigan, in latitude 47° 20' ; on the mountain at Mon- 

 treal, latitude 46°; and elsewhere as far to the north as they have been 

 planted : and in many places they are the only apples that withstand the 

 climate for a series of years. These trees are also remarkable for their 

 beauty of form, of bark, of twigs, of foliage, of flowers, with exquisite and 

 peculiar perfume, and, lastly, for the extreme beauty of their attractive 

 fruit, which is produced early, and in the greatest profusion. 



D. W. Adams, the .well-known horticulturist, secretary of the State society 

 at Waukon, Northern Iowa, says, " I have no doubt, but, in hardiness and 

 early productiveness, the Siberians stand at the head of the list." This is 

 the universal opinion among all propagators in the North-west since the 

 fatal winter of 1856 ; and the hardiness of thj Siberians has caused their 

 enormous increase. Hundreds of thousands of them are annually planted ; 

 and though small, and of short duration, being autumn-fruit, they are certain 

 to. bear, and at least are better than no apples. But the Pynis is an im- 

 provable race. Who can tell what may yet be developed from the Crab, and 

 retain its wonderful hardiness of tree ? Our native Crab, Pynis coronaria, 

 is also hardy enough ; but it has so little tendency to variation as to offer us 

 little encouragement ever to expect from it a rival to the Baldwin. 



Not so with the Jong-cultivated Siberians. Prominent among the early 

 improvements of this group of apples are the Large Red and Large Yellow 

 already.mentioned, tlie Montreal Beauty, the Transcendent (largest of all), 

 and its rival in size and beauty, the Hislop. Among those of more recent 

 origin, I propose to introduce some of those selected from a large number 



