CHAPTER IV. 



DEGENERACY OF VARIETIES LIMITED AGE, ETC. INFLUENCE OF 



SOILS CLIMATE STOCKS . 



THE theory of degeneracy of varieties at certain periods of exist- 

 ence in the parent-tree, once had strong supporters ; but we have 

 never been able to reconcile it with any known laws existent in 

 vegetable life, beyond theory. That all cuttings taken from a seed- 

 ling plant, no matter how propagated, are but the continuation of a 

 single plant, having existence in a healthy state only so long as the 

 original exists in vigor and health, although advocated, and with con- 

 siderable of reason to support, is a proposition we cannot accede to. 

 Not only is this adduced as correct, but also that no variety can be 

 procured of a healthy origin except grown on the principle of Van 

 Mons, from seed of a wildling. The failure of varieties to produce 

 fruit on trees of advanced age, and without care, of size equal to its 

 first appearance when the trees were young, is often cited as evi- 

 dence of the " running out " of that variety ; those so citing seeming 

 not to know, that fruit is being produced elsewhere on younger trees, 

 under good treatment, fully equal or surpassing the original. All 

 seedlings are not equally vigorous and healthy, whether grown from 

 a wildling or cultivated variety; and varieties are undoubtedly 

 under propagation unhealthy ; but that they are more so on account 

 of the term of years they have been continued, admits of doubt. 

 That every tree has its natural limit of life, and this natural limit 

 shortened or lengthened as the tree is over stimulated or evenly 

 treated, we do not question ; but that every bud taken from a tree, 

 propagated in various sections of soil and climate, on seedling stocks, 

 or otherwise, must decay at or near the time of the original tree, is 

 a point of belief to which we have not yet arrived. The white 

 Doyenne Pear, the Pennock Apple, the Golden Pippin, have all 

 been cited as evidence to sustain the theory, and yet we have grown 

 all in as perfect state as could be desired by the most critical. 



The influence of soils on both tree and fruit is now too well 

 known among horticulturists, and the exhaustion thereof too often, 

 unwittingly, accepted to support the theory of exhaustion of vari 

 eties. We have repeatedly written that, at no very distant day, 

 will it be requisite for the orchardist to fully understand the nature 

 of soil requisite for each distinct variety. We do not believe a fruit 

 originating in soil abundantly supplied with lime will preserve 



