144 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A GLIMPSE OF THE COMMERCIAL SIDE OF FRUIT 

 GROWING IN THE UNITED STATES. 



By Professor John Craig, Professor of Horticulture, Cornell University, 



Ithaca, New York. 



The development of the fruit-growing interests of the United States 

 has been marked by several well-defined and significant features. The 

 first of these was the gradual evolution of an American race of fruits. 

 Perhaps it may seem pretentious and somewhat presumptuous to speak of 

 this as an accomplished fact yet, but if we bear in mind the fact that one 

 century ago 90 per cent, of the Apples cultivated in this country were of 

 European origin, that fifty years ago about 40 per cent, were of foreign 

 origin, while at the present time probably less than 10 per cent, of 

 our commercial Apples originated in foreign countries, we must admit 

 that this assertion is not extravagant. Of course the fruits and seeds 

 brought over by the Puritans of New England, the Virginian settlers, the 

 colonists of Nova Scotia and Quebec, formed the basis of the orchards of 

 the North and East, while in the South we are indebted to the Spanish 

 and French adventurers for the various species of Citrus and other sub- 

 tropical fruits which have since been improved, and have become of 

 commercial value in that region. 



In the case of the orchard, or tree fruits, evolution has taken place 

 along the lines of adaptation to conditions of climate and soil, through 

 seedling or hybrid production. Much of the improvement has, however, 

 been brought about by chance. In recent years, and more especially 

 since the establishment of the United States Experiment Stations in 1887, 

 systematic and sustained efforts were commenced (and are being 

 continued) to produce new forms of value to the amateur and professional 

 fruit-grower. Varieties, too, with special adaptations, as for instance 

 those which shall meet the needs of certain climates, are being striven for. 

 A notable example of this kind may be cited in the production of Crab 

 Apples able to withstand 40 to 50 degrees Fahr. of frost (the minimum 

 temperatures of Manitoba and the Canadian North-West). The Dominion 

 of Canada Experimental Farms, with which the writer was connected as 

 horticulturist from 1890-97, have made commendable advances in this 

 important enterprise by crossing hardy Russian Apples with the ' Berry 

 Crab,' Pj rus baccataof Eastern Europe. The hybrids exhibit exceptional 

 hardiness and bear fruit of Crab-like proportions, which is most acceptable 

 in the wheat-growing country of the North-West. 



Again, in the middle western part of the United States the problem of 

 securing orchard fruits of desirable quality and adequate hardiness, or 

 cold-resisting qualities, has been undergoing gradual solution during the 

 last half-century. Here the Apples of Russia are being crossed with the 

 Apples of Europe and their seedlings in America. Notable progress is 

 being made. The native Crab of the Prairie States, Pyrus ioensis, has 



