The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-06-12
Fruits for Cold Climates.

L. II. Hoskins of Vermont saws, in
Garden and Forest, that as a rule a fruit
tree should be variety that will endure
all weathers in the place where it is
planted. 1t must be hardy enough to
stand the test of winter; otherwise, lust
when the owner is looking for a first
full crop he may find only dead tree.
Experience has proven that the fruit
trees of western Europe and their seed
lings will not, as rule, endure the
winter climate of similar ATTITUDES on
the American continent. All of Europe
north of Rome is north of Boston.
Boston is nearly the extreme north
limit of the peach, plum, ounce and
apricot; and of the apples and pears of
Northwestern Europe very few can be
planted with profit more than one hun
dred miles north of Boston. Seedlings
from these do not, as a rule, show more
resistance to cold than their parents.
So seldom do they that those of us
who have had most experience at once
suspect that such seeding is an acct
dental cross with harder variety, like
those of Russia and Siberia.
The Russian tree-fruits are I'M
doubtedly of hybrid origin. Those of
Poland and the Baltic Provinces are
much mixed, and less of this blood is
found; and in the valley of the Volga
and the steppe region the influence of
North Asia stock preponderates. 1t is
from these trees that we get our most
perfect "iron-clads - of all the tree
fruits
Our northeastern states and prov
inces require hardness against cold
alone; but in the prairie states this is
not enough. Intense summer heat
and drought and the fatal sap-blight
must also be encountered there, and
trees for that region must thus be
triply clad. The fruits of the Russian
and Asiatic steppes furnish the best
material to meet these contingencies.
AS New England lies mostly on the
ATTITUDES of Southern Europe, so
Canada lies mostly on the ATTITUDES of
Russia and Siberia. Not only climate,
but the length OF seasons and of DAYS,
should be considered in estimating the
value of fruit-trees. The winter apples
of Russia are many, but south of forty
five degrees they are only early winter
or fall sorts. This lessons their value
for our northern states; but as they
can be grown among our tender long
keepers, there is fair probability that
iron-clad crosses can be obtained that
will prove bookkeeping below latitude
forty-five degrees.
Unquestionably many European trees
are, in their seedlings, gradually adapt
ing themselves to the American climate.
The law of the survival of the fittest
Is all the time in operation, and inter-
ested parties are finding along the
northern limit of our orchard region
(and even within iD seeding varieties
which show unusual resistance against
cold. After trying several hundred of
the hardest apples of Southern Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont and Massa.
chusetts in vain, and after coming to
believe that there were no iron-clads
among Massachusetts, apples, it was ac-
cidentally discovered Cat the centennial,
| believe) that an apple which l had
received from Canada as the Strawberry
of Montreal is really the Founding
which originated in Groton, Mass. Now
that an interest has been aroused by
the practical successes already attained,
hardy seedlings are being sought out
and tested all along our northern Dor
ders and IN Canada. Scotts Winter is
one of the apples thus obtained, and
though not an apple of high quality or
large size, it is reliable keeper and
useful fruit-not only in itself, but as
beacon of hope.
AS for the pears and stone fruits,
the future is pretty secure, not only
from the improvement of our native
species, but in the importation of
the highly satisfactory Russian, Sibe-
rian, and North Chinese varieties. l
see no reason to doubt that by discov-
cries already made the orchard region
on this continent can be extended from
two to three degrees of latitude north
ward That this is a wonderful gain, as
the result of scarcely two decades of
effort, is manifest, and there is more to
come, for the work is scarcely begun.