1871 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GAUDENER. 



211 



refer to it now, in a general way. I may give the 

 subject further thought, as this was penned on the 

 spur of the moment, without special research or 

 enquiry. The leading facts may, however, he profi- 

 table and climatology presented as a subject that 

 needs greater attention, and proper data should be 

 given, as to the locality or range of failure, in 

 order to be more definite — as "circumstances alter 

 cases." 



The Crab vs. Apple. 



Bt Dr. C. Andrews. Marenoo, 111. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardener: — In your June 

 number, Mr. D. Wilmot Scott inquires why Mr. 

 Gould and others have applied the name Russian 

 Crab to the Tetofski Apple, which he " objects to 

 as giving a desirable, hardy, good fruit a bad 

 name." 



Mr. Gould has not replied, but we think the rea- 

 son is obvious enough why he and others have 

 applied that term to a comparatively unknown — 

 though not a new fruit — which from the fact of its 

 Russian origin, was supposed to be as hardy as the 

 well tested Oklenburgh. It was to make it sell. 

 The term crab had become a synonym for hardi- 

 ness, hence to sell a new tree in the extreme North- 

 west, it was necessary to call it a crab. Tree deal- 

 ers have frequently called the Oklenburgh a crab, 

 some perhaps honestly supposing that a variety so 

 extremely hardy must be a crab of some sort. If I 

 am not mistaken, even so well informed a gentleman 

 as your correspondent, Mr. P. M. Gideon, of Minne- 

 sota, has believed that his promising apple, the 

 Wealthy, was partly a crab. Historically it is not 

 at all improper to call any apple a crab, for if the 

 received opinions are correct, all have sprung from 

 some species of wild fruit. The apples of Shakes- 

 peare's time were commonly called crabs. But it is 

 only usual at the present day to apply that term to 

 fruits which retain some of the traits of the original 

 species in their primitive purity. Hence if the 

 Tetofski or the Wealthy retain the perfectly hardy 

 habit and structure of the original Pyrus Mains As- 

 trachanim or Russian apple — which is claimed to 

 be a distinct species — it is just as proper to call 

 them Russian Crabs as it is to call the Transcend- 

 ent, or the Marengo, Siberian Crabs. 



But neither are correct and the practice in both 

 cases should be discontinued. For I know of no 

 good reason why pomologists should ignore the 

 known rules of philology. The word crab-apple 

 signifies a wild apple and technically it is not proper 

 to apply it to any but the sour, acerb fruits which 

 retain the " rough taste " of the wilding. In such 

 a sense it is certainly a "bad name." When ap- 

 plied to such apples as the Tetofski or Oldenburgh, 

 we agree with Mr. Scott in thinking it a mere 



advertising dodge, but scarcely a reprehensible one, 

 if the trees thus .sold really possess the qualities in- 

 tended to be guaranteed by the term, namely, entire 

 hardiness in a rigorous climate. When the term is 

 retained in speaking of the Transcendent and other 

 improved Siberians, it is merely a concession to 

 a popular habit which cannot be at once corrected. 

 For in.stance, the Hislop, Briar's Sweet, Marengo 

 Winter, Coral, etc., would be unintelligible to tyros 

 without the addition of some term to identify the 

 species to which these new sorts belong, and as the 

 word crab is curt and expressive of the one quality 

 most essential of all to dwellers in the north, it will 

 doubtless long continue in popular use. But the 

 correct practice would be to designate these two 

 classes of apples respectively — Russian apples and 

 Siberian apples. 



But a graver error is involved in calling the 

 Tetofski a crab, from the fact that there is still a 

 great difference of opinion as to the hardiness of 

 this apple. All the Russian apples have not proved 

 hardy. None but the Oldenburgh has stood the 

 test as far north as St. Paul for any considerable 

 number of years, and some of the most experienced 

 nurserymen of that vicinity do not regard even 

 that as wholly reliable there. On the other hand, 

 the fact that the popular botanical abuse of the term 

 crab has so extensively prevailed and is still so 

 tenaciously adhered to at the north, is a positive 

 proof of the perfect hardiness of the Siberian fam- 

 ily. Hundreds of new seedlings of this species are 

 constantly coming into fruit, some of them extreme 

 late keepers, and all accounts report them entirely 

 hardy as far north as they have been tried. And 

 yet in the face of these facts some of our scientific 

 horticulturists whose views seem to be narrowed 

 down to microscopic dimensions, have despaired of 

 any successful results in producing a race of " truly 

 iron dads from the Siberian crabs." A review of 

 some positions of one of your correspondents I re- 

 serve for another number. 



"Grimes' Golden" Apple. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardener: — I observe 

 that Grimes' Golden is beginning to be talked of in 

 your section of the country. I have a bearing or- 

 chard of over five hundred trees. I have besides 

 the Grimes, and other popular sorts — R. I. Green- 

 ing, Peck Pleasant, Baldwin, Rome Beauty, Rox- 

 bury Russet, American Golden Russet, Willow, 

 &c. In varieties I have in all about one hundred, 

 and I place Grimes' Golden at the head of the list 

 in point of hardiness, fairness of fruit, uniform bear- 

 ing and superior quality. My orchard is twenty- 

 one years planted. For the last sixteen years 

 Grimes has not failed to give me an annual crop of 

 fair and good sized fruit. James Ceawtord. 



Augusta, Ca/rroU Co., Ohio. 



