312 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Nov. 
u hybridation ” between the peach and plum; (the ap¬ 
ricot is a distinct genus, containing at least two spe¬ 
cies;) that cultivation has given to the cherry a sepa¬ 
rate stem for each berry, thus improving its quality ! 
That cabbage is derived from the common sea-kale !” 
Varieties of Fruit. 
Eds. Cultivator— On the 246th page, under the 
head of “ Horticultural Items,” you copy from the 
Southern Cultivator the remarks of a correspondent 
concerning fruits. This gentleman says in so many 
words, that out of all the choicest varieties imported 
from France, England, and the North, “ there is not 
one tree that has borne fruit equal in quantity or quali¬ 
ty to our common native kinds.” Just there I am at 
issue with any man, North, South, East or West. I 
have an opinion diametrically opposite. And lest this 
correspondent may deter our friends “ in the South and 
elsewhere about” our country from making purchases of 
improved fruits, I beg to say, I think he is either very 
fortunate in having very superior “ common native 
kinds,” or very unfortunate in only seeing or hearing of 
very inferior “ common” foreign kinds. 
To the end that your readers may know what oppor¬ 
tunity I have had to be a judge, permit me to say, I 
have been in the South over 40 years, born in Colum¬ 
bia, S. C., where N. Herbmont and J. S. Guignard, 
Esqrs., both lived, (both were prominent horticulturists 
30 years ago;) I lived in Philadelphia two years, and 
have been in Mississippi 19 years. 
My father had a fine orchard of apples, peaches and 
plums 30 years ago, and was intimate with the two 
gentlemen named. I began to purchase foreign trees 
in 1833, and to grow seedlings a year or more prior, 
and brought peach stones from the New Jersey orchards 
home with me in 1829. I have grown, fruited, and cut 
down not short of 1000 seedling peach trees. I have 
seen and eaten the peach, North, South and West. I 
have had ripen this year not less than 80 to 100 va¬ 
rieties of the peach, and taken notes of 70 varieties. 1 
have had fruit here, not less than 20 varieties of the 
apple this year. Will this give me any right to give 
an opinion? But further—in my section of this State, 
Mr. Lambert—in Vicksburg—has an orchard, which he 
markets the fruit of, and though surrounded by thou¬ 
sands of peach trees, no seedling fruit can sell by side 
of* his own at half price. 
In my orchard there are about 2000 peach trees, 
numbering about 140 varieties. Some are seedlings 
of Mississippi, but generally these are varieties that 
ripen after the foreign are gone; some early varieties 
are excellent, which are natives, but they are uncom¬ 
mon, and are not, one out of ten thousand trees that 
ripen, say, in July. I allude particularly to Elmira 
and Magruder, the only two that I have yet seen that 
will at all compare with early Tillotson or early York 
true; and no one who has tas'ed fruits here, at Lam¬ 
bert’s or Hatch’s, will pretend to bring in comparison 
the 11 common” or uncommon “ native varieties.” 
Readers of agricultural papers pretty generally know 
my name, and know that I am always for my own, my 
native land, but in this matter I cannot advocate the 
native fruit against an absolute demonstration. Let 
me ask, what are the foreign varieties of peaches? 
The} were seedlings, but they are selections from every 
land, North, South, East and West, across the water, 
and from both continents, and to get these 140 varie¬ 
ties, there were probably millions discarded as worth¬ 
less, and almost a century in making the selection. 
Shall we at a dash of the pen, discard the judgment and 
the experience of our forefathers? 
A Michigan man says, we have the clime of the 
peach; a Philadelphian insists that he has the very 
same; a South Carolinian finds nothing at all equal to 
his seedlings, a distinguished jurist of my own land, 
says a little Dr. of my name is doing incalculable inju¬ 
ry by advising the improved , (I say the selected) 
fruits—and I say France and England, and New-York, 
and Massachusetts, or even Mississippi, have given 
fruits worthy of culture. 
There is no possible way of proving these matters. 
I heard of a woman once who fancied to kiss a cow; 
this was all taste, and we cannot combat that. 
This I will do. If any man from Michigan to Flori¬ 
da, from Maine to California, will furnish me with 20 
peach trees, ripening from June 10 to Sept. 1, equal to 
Early York, Crawford^s Early Melocoton, Royal George, 
Smooth Leaf, Bellegarde, Oldmixon Cling, Druid Hill, 
Smooth late, &e., 1 will give undoubted security that I 
will give $100 for the 20 trees, so soon as a jury of 12 
will pronounce them only equal to the above, and of 
that No. 1 class of peaches which ripen in succession, 
I do not this as a banter. I have no desire this way. 
But if I could get such trees, I could sell of young trees 
$100 worth in a year, and then be known as the indi- 
vidual who did so much for my country. 
Now these trees may be in the South, and natives 
too, but to collect them would cost more time and mo- 
ney than they are worth. I have been collecting for 
five years, have begged for the best natives, and but 
five of the very best do I find worth culture. 
I want peaches from July 1st to Nov. 1st. Would I 
act wisely to collect seed from every direction, plant 
and cultivate probably 1000 trees to get 20 varieties? 
Or had I not better pay $10 for the 20 trees that are 
certified to be ripening in succession and to be No. 1? 
I know there are choice seedlings, for I have intro¬ 
duced two myself. I know the Lemon Cling, Heath, 
Columbia, and some others will produce very similar 
and often excellent peaches, but this only makes the 
rule stronger. 
Where have the thousand and one varieties of the 
peach come from, if seed from good trees will produce 
good fruit? 
Nobody would plant seed from a diminutive half ripe 
peach, if they could get the best, and of course would 
never have the mean. 
Go into any seedling orchard in America and get 
20—aye, 10, or 5 varieties of peaches equal to Craw¬ 
ford’s Early or Late, and I will go into the nearest and 
show you three-fourths not worth culture. 
I have sold trees to gentlemen born in the South, who 
were sixty years of age. Are they so foolish as to buy 
of me inferior fruit, after seeing the fruit? 
I have sold fruit trees, though I am a cotton-planter. 
And I dare think I have the largest variety of fruits 
owned by any amateur horticulturist—a private per¬ 
son—in these States. M. W. Philips. Edwards , 
Miss., August 31, 1849. 
Haskell Sweet Apple* 
In the last No. of The Cultivator, under the Horti¬ 
cultural Department, I see, in answer to inquires res¬ 
pecting the best sweet apples, you name the Haskell 
Sweet, for the fall. 
I should be pleased to know from you, if this is the 
same apple described by Cole, in his recent fruit book. 
If it is, it will present the singular fact of an apple of 
high merit disseminated at a distance* and yet here in 
Essex county hardly known at all beyond the town 
(Ipswich) where it originated. It would also confirm 
my own opinion of its superior qualities. 
I know not why Mr. Cole calls this the Sassafras apple.. 
The original stock is now standing on a farm once 
owned by a Dea. Haskell, whence its name. Allen 
W. Dodge. Hamilton, Mass., August 24, 1849. 
[This is the same as Cole’s Sassafras apple—it has 
been cultivated by Robert Manning, of Salem, who 
