It is quite refreshing in these days of shams to find now and then a genuine article; to find that a fruit, for instance, which has been put forth under certain claims and pretensions turns out to possess all the good qualities claimed for it—that all is not mere pretence, but reality. Three or four years ago we were shown a peach by one of our members, Mr. Allen Moyer, which was then ripe, it was July, and informed by him that he had taken it from a tree growing in a fence corner on the farm of Mr. High, not far from Jordan Station. We were not then permitted to taste it, but noted that the sample was of good size, and well colored. We were surprised to learn that so large and so early ripening a variety should be found under such circumstances, and ventured the caution that some unnatural cause had brought about a premature ripening. Last year, (1877,) we went with Mr. Moyer to see the tree on the first of August, and found it loaded with fruit which was just ripe, and found that in point of quality and general character, it bore a strong resemblance to Hale’s Early, but ripening some time before that variety.
Meanwhile it seems that this variety has been placed in the hands of Mr. Chas. Downing, Newburg, N. Y., and Mr. J. H. Watkins, of Palmetto, Georgia, and from the August number of the Gardener’s Monthly we learn that Mr. Watkins has fruited, on the same tree, Alexander, Amsden, Honeywell, Early Canada, Brigg’s May, Beatrice, Louise, and Rivers, and he says of them “that in appearance the four first named were strikingly similar, the Honeywell slightly smaller, but equal to any in flavor, with the exception, possibly, of the Early Canada, which showed the highest color. If there was any difference at all in the earliness of the first four peaches, the Early Canada certainly had it; the Canada is almost a perfect free-stone, adheres very slightly, unlike the others in this respect, so far as I had an opportunity to examine. The hardiness of trees, quality, and appearance of fruit, size, flavor, &c., will determine which is most suitable for general cultivation, the Alexander, Amsden, Honeywell, or Early Canada, as the slight difference in time, when it exists, is of no practical value.”
Mr. Downing says, “My experience with Alexander, Amsden, Honeywell, and Early Canada, with two years fruiting, is about the same as Dr. Watkins, and, as I have before stated, if the four kinds were put in a dish, it would puzzle a good pomologist to separate them, and yet there is no doubt but that they are all distinct kinds.”
It may be then set down as an ascertained fact that the Early Canada is as early, as large, and of as good quality as the Alexander, Amsden or Honeywell, while to us it has the additional quality of being a native of our climate, and therefore likely the better to bear its peculiar vicissitudes. We trust our cultivators will yet take the peach in hand, and give us a race of Canadian seedlings, hardier, healthier, and better than imported sorts.
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DUCHESS OF OLDENBURGH APPLE.
It is a good many years since this variety was brought to the attention of Canadian fruit growers. There has been time enough to allow of its being tried in a great variety of soils, exposures, and latitudes, and in which to test the quality of the fruit, and to ascertain the position it will take in the markets. The charm of novelty has had time to pass away, and the fruit to assume its true place, the place that will be assigned to it by its intrinsic worth.
Our climate is one that demands of our apple trees a hardy and healthy constitution. It is essentially a cold climate—with quite a range of variation in the degree of cold, it is true, but in no part of our Province toned down to anything warmer than temperate, while in much of it the cold may justly be termed severe. Hence it is of the first importance in a very large part of the country that the apple trees to be planted there should be able to endure a great degree of cold. Owing to the neglect of this very important matter, many hundreds of apple trees have been planted, only to struggle for a time with the rigours of the climate, and sooner or later to give over the unequal contest. The result has been that planters have become discouraged, and have given up attempting to grow apples, under the impression that it is impossible. Those who reside in those unfavorable localities may be compelled to forego somewhat in quality and richness of flavor, and to content themselves with varieties that do not come up to the pomological standard of “best,” but fortunately we have even now several varieties that will endure a severe degree of cold, and bear fruit if not “best” in quality, certainly a great deal better than to do without apples.
The Duchess of Oldenburgh has proved itself to be one of those varieties which can bear without suffering a very intense degree of cold, and yield an abundant crop of good sized, handsome looking, and truly valuable apples; and which can therefore be confidently recommended for planting in any place where an apple tree can be expected to grow. The tree is hardy, not only, but vigorous, forms a handsome rounded head, and is truly an object of beauty when the broad glossy-green foliage is set off in contrast with the bright showy fruit. It also comes early into bearing, and every other year yields large crops. The apples are above medium size, very regularly and handsomely formed, quite uniform, and very free from blemishes of any kind. The skin of the fruit is smooth, yellow, washed and streaked very beautifully with red, and covered with a light-blue bloom, which gives it such an attractive and showy appearance, that it will command at all times a ready sale in the markets. The flesh is yellowish-white, tender, juicy, and of a brisk sub-acid flavor. It is a splendid cooking apple, there being none to rival it in its season. In the County of Lincoln it ripens in the end of August or early part of September. It does not keep long, hence it is not safe to plant it very largely for market, unless assured of being able to dispose of them quickly.
This variety originated in Russia, and from its hardiness one might suppose that its birth place had been quite on the borders of Siberia. It has taken very kindly to our Canadian soil and climate, and gives promise of,—nay, may we not say has already established,—a reputation for fruitfulness, beauty, and utility, in every part of the land.