liiK Canadian Horiiculturist. .^29 



NEW VARIETIES. 



HlC tVuii grower is ever 011 the alert for the appearance of new varie- 

 ties, possessing points of merit sufficient to warrant cultivation. 'I'oo 

 often the planter is cruelly sold by some unprincipled agent, or, pos- 

 sibly, by the nurseryman introducing the so-called new variety, for 

 even nurserymen do sometimes swindle the unsuspecting as well as 

 the suspicious planter. But I will not go further in the way of 

 scourging either nurserymen or tree agents, as we cannot do without them, and 

 their few evil deeds are more than atoned for by the good they do. 



There was a time when there was abundant room for all the new varieties 

 offered. But now that this province is fairly well supplied, we can profitably 

 exercise more caution in accepting new kinds of fruits. On every hand we 

 meet aspirants for immortality with some "chance seedling," and many bear 

 such points of merit that it often seems harsh to discourage their introduction. 

 At the fall exhibitions we meet with many new seedlings, and while a few pos- 

 sess more or less merit, the large majority are actually worthless. I examined a 

 plum grown by Mr. F. Jordan, of Goderich, said to be a seedling from Yellow 

 Egg. It resembles Ruling's Superb in size, color and flavor closely, indeed, so 

 much so, that I at first pronounced it to be that variety, and .still have 

 an inclination to hold to that opinion, although the foliage is much darker and 

 the tree older and larger than I have known that variety to attain generally. 

 Although a very large, healthy tree, there is no sign of black knot, and Mr. 

 Jordan says he never observed any on it. Being situated where it receives 

 abundance of nourishment, keeping the tree strong and vigorous, will, to a great 

 extent, account for freedom from black knot. But what I desire particularly to 

 claim is this : that, altogether, we cannot say there is in this seedling (if it be 

 such) enough merit to warrant introduction in preference to Ruling's Superb. 

 I saw what is claimed to be a seedling of Pond's, which so closely resembles 

 that variety that I would and did discourage its introduction. There are a 

 number of seedlings of Yellow Egg now in the country, but I have not seen any 

 better than the parent, though some were larger, which might be accounted for 

 in many ways, especially in young trees. 



I have been watching with high hopes a seedling of Prince of Wales, and the 

 first two bearings were so fine that I believed it was sure to come to the front, 

 but the past season's crop proves how we may often be deceived in young trees. 

 The seedling fell in my esteem sufficiently far to advise the grower not to attempt 

 to introduce it ; although probably as good as the Prince in all points, yet not 

 excelling in important points sufficiently to warrant its taking the place of that 

 variety. 



'While we should, as an Association, offer every encouragement for the pro- 

 duction of seedlings, it is necessary to be particularly guarded in advising 



