Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-06-27
9urtitulturr.
For the VERMONT FARMRR.
JOURNAL OF INGLESlDE, NO. n.
by HoRTENsIUs.


The Origin of oup Cultivated Fruits.
Pyrus malus, L., which until recently
seems to have been the source of all our
sweet and sour varieties Of apples, and p.
commu,iis, L., from which have sprung our
pears, are spontaneous in the temperate re-
gions of Europe and in the Caucasus. Pr1-
nus domestica, L., and p. institia, L., wild
species which have given us our cultivated
plums, both grow spontaneous in the Caucas-
us, and the second is found apparently indig
enous in Greece. The damask plum is be-
lieved to have been brought into Europe by
the crusaders. Our varieties and races Of
cultivated cherries are considered as coming
from PrunuS aUi,tm, Mench, and p. Cera-
Sus, L., the first spontaneous in Europe, and
the second found south OF the Caucasus in
the Crimea, in Macedonia, and in Bithynia.
Peaches, introduced into Greece and Italy
near the commencement Of the Christian
era, come from the Prmus persica, (Amyg.
dalus persiea, L.,) and their specific name
would seem to indicate their native country,
but according to De Candolle they came
rather from China than from western Asia.
The apricot sprung from the Pr1,nus Arme-
niaca, L., and its specific name is believed
truly to indicate its native country, but it is
said to be found also in Apatoia, and even in
Upper Egypt The ounce, Cydonia rm.
gdris, L., appears indigenous in some locali-
ties of Europe, and it is certainly SO in Italy
and Greece. The most Of our strawberries
come from the Fragaria eesca, L., species
found throughout the temperate regions Of
Europe and Asia, and is believed to be in
digenous in America also, it being identical
with our wood strawberry The less CON-
mon varieties Of our gardens are the Alpine
strawberries, from F. collind, species grow
ing among the Alps, and the Hautbois straw
berries, from +. elator, of Germany. The
most of our cultivated raspberries have been
introduced from Europe, where they have
been improved from the RuJuS HeuS, indig-
enOus there. The original species is not
specifically distinct, it is supposed, from our
wild red raspberry, r. strigOsm. Black.
berries are contribution to horticulture
from the New World Selection and cult-
walton are giving us new varieties, which
leads us to anticipate high results from the
full Improvement of this plant.
The Formation of Gum on Cherry
Trees, 40.
" II was formerly believed that this gum
was secreted by the cells OF the inner bark
Of these plants; then it was supposed that
this substance, deposited in inter-cellular
duets, finally burst the bark and flowed upon
the outside. NJ. Keutzing announced in
1851 that membranes of cellulose may be
transformed into gum. In 1857 M. Karsten
admitted that all gums and mucilages pre-.
ceed from q similar transformation. M.
Wigand studied the transformation into gum
Of certain tissues of tho wood and bark OF
the Rosace@. M. Trecul thinks that this
gum is a pathologic product which becomes
extravasated from cavities likewise pathOlogic,
under the influence of too abundant nutri-
tion, the young cells Of the generativo layer
(cambium layer) may be resorbed ducts
may be destroyed in the same manner and
thereby result cavities, about the walls of
which appears the gum, which afterwards
flows into the surrounding passages, His
tOire des PlanteS, par II. Bailloa, gOl. l. p.
452, note 8.
These observations of eminent vegetable
Psychologists throw light upon disease
which almost precludes the general cultivA-
tion in this country of the better classes Of
cherries. Our hortiCulturists find that these
trees, when subjected to the high cultivation
under which apples, pears &C., yield the best
results, are extremely liable to become de.
bilitated, and eventually to die, from dis
eased condition which is indicated by the
free exudation Of gum, the cracking of the
trunk and limbs, the blighting of the bark
in numerous places, and the dying out Of
branches. On the rich soils of the West so
certainly does this fate beiall this class, the
Hearts and Bigarreaus, that their cultivation
is hardly attempted Wherever grown with
success in this country, it is where they are
planted on dry, gravelly or stony, and rather
poor land or, if the land be fertile, when
the growth of the trees is checked by allow
| ing them to remain in the sod, and the