STATE PO3IOL0GICAL SOCIETY. 41 



a botanist's scientific knowledge is almost necessary to recognize 

 the relation of the new to the old. The tulips, the hyacinths, the 

 gladioli and other bulbous plants, show similar results. Recent 

 Dutch growers have annonnced in their catalogues nearly 2,000 

 named varieties of tulips. And so we might go on through the cat- 

 alogue, and note the results of crossing, hybridizing and culture. 

 The fact, however, is apparent, that the newer varieties are more 

 attractive than the older ones, in short, an improvement over the 

 old in most instances. 



At our recent State fair there was shown a plate of pear-shaped 

 apples, as perfect in form as any pears ever grown. One of our 

 botanists examined them with great interest and samples were sent 

 to others. One said the organs of reproduction in the pear were so 

 formed they could not receive the pollen from the apple. But no 

 explanation of the "sport" was offered by any one. Shortly after 

 my attention at our local fair was called to a similar '"sport." but in 

 this case the limbs of the apple tree interlaced a pear tree near by. 

 I offer no explanation, but I am reminded here of the fact that in 

 the production of new varieties of fruit there has not been given the 

 same study as the florist has devoted to his favorites. So far as I 

 can learn the most of our improved apples are chance seedlings. In 

 giving the origin of various apples, Mr. Downing says they origi- 

 nated " in some town," or "on somebody's farm," or " with some 

 one." The origin of the Wealthy seems to be an exception, for he 

 says, Peter M. Gideon originated it from seed, but then goes on to say 

 that he obtained the seed from Maine. There has been great skill 

 shown in the propagation of the apple tree, and the culture given 

 the trees by many fruit growers is a great improvement over the 

 past. Many new varieties have been given us which are incompar- 

 ably superior to the old, but as yet Maine fruit growers are not satis- 

 fied with the varieties they are raising. 



In my own county there are two distinct varieties of the Fameuse, 

 one our fruit growers call the " Winter Fameuse," as it keeps later 

 by at least two months than the ordinary Fameuse. The stock 

 came from the nurseries as the Fameuse, other than this no one has 

 been able to give the history of this apple. It is more oblong, and 

 more highly colored with a deeper crimson. It is in flavor fully 

 equal to the earlier Fameuse. One of our fruit growers sent 

 samples to Dr. Hoskins and inquired for information. In reply 

 Dr. Hoskins offered the probable explanation, which is, that in 



