162 BOTANY3 CAN VARIETIES OF APPLES BE DISTINGUISHED BY THEIR FLOWERS.—To a botanist this may seem like a queer question, capable only of an answer in the affirmative, but pomologists have quite universally held to the opposite view. Quotations like the following, could be made from our most eminent writers of pomological books: Peaches are partially classified by the size and color of the petals, but in all the other fruits, as in apples, pears, plums, cherries, etc., the flowers vary but slightly in form and color.” Another says: “Little difference exists in the flowers.” 3Edited by Professor CHARLES E. Bessey, Lincoln, Nebraska. 163 At a meeting of the Michigan State Pomological (now Horticultural) Society, held in 1873, the writer presented a paper on this subject in which he accurately described quite a number of kinds of apples by the flowers. To the pomologist the term “flower” means the showy petals; to the botanist it means calyx, corolla, stamens and pistils. These floral characters are as constant and reliable for distinguishing varieties as are those characters of the fruit which are usually employed. In apples the points of the calyx vary in breadth, size and in other particulars. The petals vary in size and shape in different varieties, and some in color. Not very much was made of the stamens, but the styles and stipe furnish excellent characters. Dr. Hogg, of England, pointed out the value of the shape of the calyx-tube and the position of the stamens on the inside of the tube, but in our American apples, at any rate, these points are not so reliable as are those pertaining to the stipe and styles. In 1879, at the Rochester meeting of the American Pomological Society, I presented an illustrated paper on the classification of apples, in which the peculiarities of the flowers formed an important part. Many flowers were examined from different trees in various localities. Over a hundred varieties have been examined. I have since that time frequently called the attention of my students to this subject, and last spring (in 1885) suggested it to one of our graduates, Mr. W. L. Snyder. I have had some of this drawings carefully copied for your use. Unfortunately in these cases the petals were not drawn, but a glance at the lobes of the calyx, and especially a close examination and comparison of the stipes and styles will show a great difference in the length, breadth, hairiness and other points of the styles. At the Boston meeting of the American Pomological Society, in 1881, I showed that a similar difference exists in the lobes of the calyx, the shape and size of the petals of pears, but in these flowers of the stipe is very short or wanting. The styles vary as do those of apples. Mr. Snyder also made some notes and drawings of the flowers and inflorescence of some of our cultivated varieties of strawberries. These are quite as marked as those here shown for the flowers of apples. In case of apples probably 3000 or more varieties have been described by the fruit alone. It is needless to say that with a variety of soils and climates it is next to impossible to define so many in a manner which shall be at all satisfactory. A similar difficulty exists in our sorts of pears, peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries, raspberries and a myriad of cultivated grains and vegetables [exactly how many I do not know. 164 Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig 1 – Variety “Red Canada.” Fig. 2. -"Talman Sweet.” Fig. 3. - “Sweet Bough.” Fig. 4. - “Rambo.” Fig. 5.—“Wagner.” All x3. 165 A friend has just sent me 160 named lots of cultivated beans. How are they usually described? Mainly by the time of fruiting, size and color of pod and the peculiarities of the seeds. We are living in a time when there is much said about the difficulty of describing so many varieties of cultivated plants. It seems to me the correct solution of this problem is here suggested: Instead of describing lettuce and turnips and onions by the shape of leaf and head, color and shape of root, or the color and shape of bulb respectively, let the inflorescence and flowers be carefully examined and a clear record made of all the characters which prove to be most reliable. The time has come for more careful work in this direction. The skill of a good botanist should be joined to that of a good horticulturist.— W. F. Beal, Agricultural College, Mich.