99 



Mr. Hamilton. — I would like to ask the question, whether any one can say 

 whether the artificial crosses or hybrids are as durable as natural ones. If wo look 

 back a little it would seem as if artificial crosses were not durable. Knight and 

 some other English growers have raised a great many seedlings that were highly 

 spoken of at the time, but that have quite disappeared, and I think, as far as my 

 observation goes, that is the case, generally, with artificial hybrids. Natural crosses, 

 however, are more durable. I cannot say anything with regard to apples or pears 

 — a lifetime is too short for that sort of thing — but I know something of the potato 

 hybrids of the last twenty-five or thirty years that have disappeared, and these were 

 mostly American seedlings that were the result of artificial crosses. I think some of the 

 old varieties of potatoes, before these new American sorts came in, lasted very much 

 longer. I think it would be worth while endeavouring to ascertain whether there 

 is anything in that, and to know if in the future we are to look for our good apples 

 and pears to artificial crosses or natural ones. By natural ones, I mean those where 

 the pollen is carried by the wind or insects — not the work of man's hand, by 

 removing the stamen of one and dusting the stigma with the pollen of another. 

 Just as we shall decide that question a great deal of the future of new varieties shall 

 depend. If the natural ones are the more lasting, then it would seem that the better 

 way to get new seedlings is to plant vigourous sorts alongside of fine flavoured ones 

 and let them cross themselves. 



Hon. Senator Eeesok. — I hold in my hand a copy of the Mail, published in 

 London, England, in which there is a letter from Mr. H. W. Ward, head gardener to 

 the Eight Honourable Lord Salisbury, in which he gives his experience as to the kind 

 of apples that are suitable in that country. I will read over the list that he 

 recommends to the people of England to plant. The list h6 gives is as follows : 

 Beauty of Kent, Irish Peach, Summer Nonpareil, Worcester Pearmain, Cox's Orange 

 Pippin, Eibston Pippin, Claygate Pearmain, Kewsick Codlin, Cox's Pomona, Lord 

 Sufiield, Beauty of Hants, and Blenheim Orange. He says : " The latter is the best 

 all-round apple in cultivation. The above list is given, not in order of merit, but in 

 the order in which they are needed for use from the end of July onward. The first 

 named seven are strictly dessert apples, and the remaining five being generally used 

 for culinary pui-poses." This may be worth a little something as a hint of the kind 

 of apples that command the most attention there, and perhaps gentlemen here who 

 have had experience may know how far they can be cultivated in this country. 



Mr. Shepherd. — I think we must all say we have listened with a great deal of 

 pleasure and satisfaction to Mr. Hadwen's able paper. I am particularly interested 

 in his remarks about the cause of the degeneration of the larger varieties of trees. 

 JSTow, take for example the Fameuse. On the island of Montreal, which is the home 

 of the Fameuse, we have never been able to trace where it came from. It is sup- 

 posed it is a seedling from imported French apples. I believe there is no apple iden- 

 tical with the Fameuse in France, but it is supposed it originated from the seed 

 brought from France by the early settlers. Tears ago it was quite a common thing 

 to see an orchard of Fameuse of very old trees, seventy-five to one hundred years of 

 age. To-day I believe these trees are very scarce, and the average of the Fameuse 

 to-day I suppose is not more than twenty-five or thirty years. I do not suppose they 

 bear more than twenty years, and verj often less than that. There are no orchards 

 of Pomme Grise. They are few and far between. They do not live long, and of 

 course they are not profitable. The Pomme Grise has passed away. I suppose we 

 can scarcely get on the whole island of Montreal twenty barrels of it. You never 

 see this apple in the Montreal market. It was at one time, twenty-five years ago, 

 one of the leading varieties of dessert apples shipped to England. If the Montreal 

 merchant wished to send a present of apples to England he would always send some 

 Pomme Grise, which were supposed to be something of the very best quality. So 

 it is most interesting to hear the remarks made by Mr. Hadwen, and I think the point 

 he has brought out that we should take none of the scions from diseased trees which 

 hasten the degeneration. This point we spoke of before, and I maintain that we 

 cannot be too careful in watching the scion. I take my scions from healthy tiees. 



7* 



