52 Progress of Horticulhire in hidiana. 



tion found no nurseries to supply the awakening demand for 

 fruit trees, and resorted also to planting seed. That which, 

 at first, sprang from necessity, has been continued from habit, 

 and from an erroneous opinion that seedling fruit was better 

 than grafted. An immense number of seedling trees are found 

 in our State. Since the Indiana Horticultural Society began 

 to collect specimens of these, more than one hundred and 

 fifty varieties have been sent up for inspection. Our rule is 

 to reject every apple which, the habits of the tree and the 

 quality of its fruit being considered, has a superior or equal 

 already in cultivation. Of all the number presented, not six 

 have vindicated their claims to a name or a place — and not 

 more than three will probably be known ten years hence. 

 While, then, we encourage cultivators to raise seedlings ex- 

 perimentally, it is the clearest folly to reject the established 

 varieties and trust to inferior seedling orchards. From facts 

 which I have collected there has been planted, during the 

 past year, in this State, at least one hundred thousand apple 

 trees. Every year the demand increases. It is supposed 

 that the next year will surpass this by at least twenty-five 

 thousand. 



In connection with apple orchards, our farmers are increas- 

 ingly zealous in pear cultivation. We are fortunate in hav- 

 ing secured to our nurseries not only the most approved old 

 varieties, but the choicest new pears of British, Continental 

 or American origin. A few years ago to each one hundred 

 apple trees, our nurseries sold, perhaps, two pear trees ; now 

 they sell at least twenty to a hundred. Very large pear 

 orchards are established, and in some instances are now be- 

 ginning to bear. I purchased Williams's Bon Chretien in our 

 market last fall for seventy-five cents the bushel. This pear, 

 with the St. Michael's, Beurre Diel, Beurre d'Aremberg, 

 Passe Colmar, Duchesse d'Angouleme, Seckel, and Marie 

 Louise, are the most widely difi'used, and all of them regu- 

 larly at our exhibitions. Every year enables us to test other 

 varieties. The Passe Colmar and Beurre d'Aremberg have 

 done exceedingly well, — a branch of the latter, about eigh- 

 teen inches in length, was exhibited at our Fair, bearing over 

 twenty pears, none of which were smaller than a turkey's 

 egg. The demand for pear trees, this year, has been such 



