82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f July 26, 1838. 
half dozen fine specimens, and by autumn they will have attained a 
glorious colour. Plants of Crotons Andreanus and mutabilis averaged 
about 6 to 7 each high, and were marvellously clean. They are syringed 
twice a week with 3 gallons of water containing half a wineglassful 
of petroleum, and neither scale, thrips, nor mealy bug was visible. 
—B. Cowan. 
DEGENERATION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. 
r £A D3per read before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society by Mr. 0. B. Hadwen, 
Worcester, U.S.A ] 
The term degeneration, in its larger definition, when used with 
reference to fruits and vegetables, is generally understood to apply to 
those which, having been cultivated for a longer or shorter period 
of time, and having had their day and generation, seem to have run out 
and no longer retain their original characteristics. Nature seems to 
have endowed every plant known in the vegetable kingdom with an 
allotted term or definite period of life ; especially when growing in its 
native climate and soil, and surrounded by conditions not unfavourable 
to its life, growth, maturity, and method of reproduction. In attempting 
the inquiry into the period of longevity of fruit-bearing trees, and fruits 
growing thereon, together with the fruit-bearing bushes, shrubs, canes 
and Vines, I find but few data relating to the subject, and must rely 
largely upon my personal observation and experience, and my own 
recollections of the past fifty years. All the fruit-bearing plants are 
naturally grown from seed planted by the intricate processes of Nature. 
The seed contains all inherent natural forces requisite for reproducing 
its kind, and the seedling plant seems endowed with the vitality and 
functions requisite for and pertaining to its growth, maturity, and re¬ 
production during its destined period of life. The time allotted for the 
continuance of plant life seems as variable as the external features of 
the plant itself. Whilst the limit of human life may be three score 
years and ten, in tree or plant life we know it may be many times three 
score years. The average lifetime of the lower animals is well known ; 
but comparatively little is known of the life of fruit-bearing trees, and 
•even less regarding the time our popular varieties of fruits will continue 
to be produced in perfection under the prolonged cultivation of the 
sagacious horticulturist. 
The causes, natural and artificial, of fruits degenerating and be¬ 
coming unworthy of cultivation are but imperfectly understood ; as the 
many sorts seem to be subjected to many varying conditions. In the 
■case of each we have to consider its natural hardiness and longevity, the 
influence of soil and climate, the stimulating effects of liberal cultiva¬ 
tion, the mysterious influences of engrafting, both as to stock and scion. 
All these and similar questions underlying the subject are so clouded 
and obscure that we can neither fully explain nor comprehend them. 
Nevertheless there are some facts that seem to throw a little light upon 
the subject. While perhaps it is utterly impossible to fully verify the 
causes that seem to augment the degenerating tendencies in fruits, the 
facts we rely upon seem apparent, and although the evidence by which 
we trace the causes seems partially circumstantial, yet it is unequivocal, 
so far as it goes, and cannot well be set aside in communities where 
•cultivation has been pursued for fifty years or more by “ the art which 
<loth mend Nature.” 
The Pear trees grown from seeds which were planted by the earlier 
settlers of America were of a robust habit of growth, attaining large 
size and great age, and have outlived many generations of men ; and of 
those known to have borne fruit as early as 1663 some are still alive. 
The Pear tree is indigenous in sections of the northern temperate zone, 
flourishing as far north as the fifty-seventh degree of latitude, and is 
grown in this country from the British Provinces to Mexico. In accli¬ 
mating and growing the Pear in a warmer climate, its primitive habit 
■of long life seems to be partly lost. Growers long since abandoned 
planting the seeds from the original fruit, using instead the seeds of the 
engrafted sorts, which are of a more tender habit; by this practice 
breeding into the Pear tree an inherent tendency to shortness of life. 
The continued process of engrafting and forcing by high cultivation and 
•also growing in an impoverished soil—each and all may exert some in¬ 
fluence in the direction of degeneracy ; and it is certainly evident that 
the trees are everywhere tending to earlier fruitage and shorter life. 
The almost universal practice of propagating desirable sorts by en¬ 
grafting or budding has undoubtedly the effect of gradually, but surely, 
working a serious injury to some-fruit-bearing trees. The tendency of 
■continuously planting the seeds of improved sorts is very much the 
same as what is called in cattlemen’s parlance “ in-and-in breeding,” 
which if long continued in a given line is a sure and constant cause of 
degeneration. Now, if the tree from any cause is losing its natural 
stamina and force, or becomes defective or diseased, the weakening of 
its natural functions very soon becomes manifest in the fruit. The 
St. Michael, in its day the glory of the Pears, has now become wholly 
unworthy of cultivation. Sometimes it seems to recuperate in new 
countries and thrives for a time in a virgin soil, but soon relapses into 
its now normal condition. The Flemish Beauty affords another illus¬ 
tration of degenerating tendency. It was first brought into notice in 
1834, and promised well for many years, but has now become unworthy 
•of continued cultivation. 
In the catalogue of trees grown in the nursery of the late William 
Kenrick in the year 1838 (he being then one of the prominent nursery¬ 
men in Massachusetts), I find, in the class termed “ Old Pears,” twelve 
sorts of which not one has been shown on this Society’s tables for 
years. In class second, termed “New Pears,” I find eighty-seven; of 
which seventeen varieties only are seen at our exhibitions, and but four 
of these are generally approved—viz., the Bartlett, Bose, Seckel, and 
Angouleme, and the rest are only occasionally shown. In the list of 
new Pears received in this country from Europe in the years 1834 to 
1836, consisting of 140 varieties, which have been tried by our culti¬ 
vators, and (most of them) shown on our tables within the past forty 
years, I find but two that are now considered worthy of cultivation ; 
and Mr. Kenrick mentions 100 other sorts received but not tried. 
In the catalogue of the late William B. Prince of Flushing. N.Y., 
for the year 1839, designating by name 367 varieties, I find but thirteen 
varieties that are seen on our tables. Then we are made aware of the 
very numerous sorts of Pears which were being brought into notice 
forty or fifty years ago—more than 350 varieties, out of which less than 
twenty are on our premium list for the present year, and the other 330 
have practically gone out of cultivation. In the meantime very many 
more sorts have been introduced, in large part seedlings of American 
origin, and out of this vast number twenty-five varieties would be quite 
as many as are worthy of the Society’s approval and encouragement. 
Now it would be unfair to state that this very large number found 
unworthy of cultivation have degenerated, doubtless many causes con¬ 
tributed to influence their rejection. Some were found poor growers, 
the fruit in many cases lacked the qualities essential in -good Pears ; 
some seemed naturally predisposed to blight and other disease, and 
many seemed unsuited to the soil and climate. 
But it appears, although difficult to prove, in the case of some sorts 
once highly esteemed for general cultivation, but now become degene¬ 
rate, that the tree has already lived the time allotted by Nature, and its 
production of fruit in its enfeebled condition is prolonged only by 
nursing, or by engrafting on other and vigorous stocks. This suggestion 
opens quite another phase of the question—viz., How much can fruitage 
be prolonged by the process of engrafting or budding ? 
There was formerly an adage, “ He who plants Pears plants for his 
heirs,” while now he who plants Pears gathers a crop in a few years ; 
and the trees mature, bear fruit, and die, even before the heirs are born. 
But it can easily be demonstrated that the natural lives of the original 
sorts of Pear trees have been longer than the joint or aggregate lives of 
several generations of men ; and also that the product of fruit from an 
original stock can be artificially prolonged by engrafting to an un¬ 
determined extent. 
The Apple trees that were grown from seed planted by the early 
settlers, and cultivated as early as 1663, in many instances proved long 
lived, some reaching the age of 200 or more years ; these trees attained 
great size, and bore immense crops of natural fruit. I know of Apple 
trees still bearing good crops that have every appearance of being 
150 years old ; and I know of engrafted Apple trees more than sixty 
years old that are still productive and unimpaired. On the other hand 
I can point to an orchard which was set forty-five years ago, and has 
received high cultivation, that has already become old and worthless, 
having no force to make healthy wood or bear fruit. And I read that 
Apple orchards in some of the north-western States do not average more 
than twenty years in bearing. The process of degeneration or decay of . 
the Apple seems to be less rapid than that of the Pear ; out of sixty 
varieties, mostly of American origin, grown fifty years ago, more than 
forty are now grown and esteemed. In fact I can recall but few sorts 
once extensively grown that are proving worthless ; and in reviewing 
the history of the Apple it must be admitted that it is not only the 
most valuable fruit in this section of the country, but also long lived, 
and is manifesting at present but few signs of decay. The Early 
Harvest and the Newtown Pippin seem to be on the wane, and a few 
more are tending in that direction. On the other hand the Rhode Island 
Greening, known in cultivation for 150 years, is seemingly as good as 
as ever, both in tree and fruit, and promises to last for a long time. 
The Costard, one of the oldest Apples grown in England, was recorded 
in the thirteenth century. 
Among the fruits that were formerly plentiful the Peach is the best 
demonstration of degenerating tendencies ; it is the one that seems least 
able to withstand the departure from its normal condition occasioned by 
engrafting and modern usage, and the effects of climate. In former 
years the Peach was grown from the stone exclusively, and grafting 
was not practised. Then the trees not only escaped disease but with¬ 
stood the vicissitudes of the climate unimpaired and produced abun¬ 
dant crops, the ground under them, within the memory of many now 
present, used to be literally covered with luscious fruit at the season 
of ripening; while the life of a Peach tree often extended to fifty 
3 r ears, and by cutting back to the ground and allowing it to sprout from 
the root, to even a much longer period. 
But when the nurseryman commenced to prolong the existence of 
improved varieties of fruit by budding not many years elapsed before 
the loss of original stamina and hardiness became apparent. Before 
long (in 1818) that destructive disease known as the “yellows” crept 
in. This was first noticed or described in print by a nurseryman in 
1823 ; it was very soon ascertained to be contagious, and that the 
disease had come to stay. In the northern sections of the country Peach 
growing, always precarious, now seems utterly ruined. 
The question of actual degeneration seems fairly settled in the Peach 
tree, and the fruit follows the tree, and varieties have become lost. Now 
the question naturally arises, Can the Peach be restored ? Evidently 
not until the budded trees are thoroughly extirpated, root and branch. 
We must resort to the custom of our ancestors, of growing trees from 
seeds, and these seeds should be procured from sources where disease is 
unknown in any form. Then we may hope with reasonable certainty 
for another period of healthy Peach trees and luscious fruit. 
