168 



THE EVOLUTION OF OUR NATIVE FRUITS 



(Fig. 22). This originated at Newburgh on the Hud- 

 son, from seeds sown about 1846 by Charles Downing, 

 one of the brothers who have become household com- 

 panions to every American fruit-grower. It was 

 noticed by the late C. M. Hovey in his "Magazine of 

 Horticulture," in March, 1858, as "a new seedling 

 raised by 0. Downing, of Newburgh, X. V.. from the 

 Morns multicaulis." The Downing often looks very 

 different from the old multicaulis. and I have some- 

 times doubted if its history is correct : hut there is 

 probably no mistake as to its origin. For many years 

 the Downing was the lending fruit-bearing mulberry, 

 hut it proved to be short-lived, and was often injured 

 by the winters in the northern states; and even as far 

 south as Texas it frequently suffers from the cold. In 

 Florida and other parts of the South it is still some- 

 what grown, particularly as cuttings 

 upon which to graft varieties which 

 root less freely. Vet the nurserymen 

 everywhere still sell the Downing mul- 

 berry; hut it turns out. upon inves- 

 tigation, thai the Downing which tiny 

 sell is not the variety originated by 

 the Downings. In fact, it is not even 

 Morns multicaulis! The variety which. 

 in good faith, they sell for Downing is 

 really a form of Morus alba, the Bpecies 

 which elsewhere in the world i> grown 

 oul\ for the silk -worm or for orna- 

 ment! With the gradual passing out of the Down- 

 ing has come the gradual usurpation of the name 



and the good-will by a variety of the other Bpecie8, 

 and no man has recorded the transfer; and now the 



Pig. '_"_'. Downing 



mulberry, nearly 



natural Biie. 



