J. A. C, Dayton, Ohio, writes : " Will you kindly tell me, as well as other readers, through the columns of the Gardeners' Monthly, what are the particular distinctive characters that separate the native American crab apple from the original form of the cultivated apple, or in fact, from all other species of the apple? I do not know where to obtain the desired information from books and must ask of those who have made fruit a study. Who originated the Hewes' Virginia crab apple, and would it prove perfectly hardy here? Is there any other cultivated apple of native American origin or with part native crab parentage in cultivation? If so, should be glad to know the address of those who have them."

[Pyrus coronaria, the native American crab apple, differs from Pyrus malus, the cultivated species in many botanical characters, among which are that the leaves are often slightly lobed, as in some hawthorns, the veins are straight and the petioles very slender. The old world species never has any tendency to be lobed, has the leaves thick, the petiole stout and the veins incurved. In the American the petals are long clawed, and they are short clawed in the European. There are other minor differences recognized by botanists. It can be popularly distinguished by the delicious odor of the fruit, which has obtained for the species the common name of " sweet scented crab."

So far as we know it has never been improved, though it well deserves a trial in that line. Hewes' Virginia Crab, is but a small variety of the old world species, at least this is our belief without any specimen before us. If it be of the American species the fact would most probably have suggested itself to the writer in former examinations. By the way, who was Hewes? Where did he find this crab? Such a magnificent cider apple deserves a niche in special history. - Ed. G. M.]