"M. R.," Honesdale, Pa.: " To what extent are the small black dots and occasional russet characteristic of any one variety of apple?"

[If we understand correctly what our correspondent means by small black dots, these have no necessary connection with the fruit. They are fungus parasites, though, as in the case of the cracks in the white Doyenne or Butter pear, they seem to have an affection for some varieties more than others. The nature of russet is not clearly understood. It is immediately caused by the rupture and destruction of the external cuticle, and may be produced artificially. But what causes this destruction in a general way, especially so as to give a character to a variety, is not known. Its true nature will probably be ascertained when some one makes the production of cork a study. This comes from the development of what are known to botanists as suber or cork cells. It is this development which destroys the bark of trees, and causes what we know as "rough bark." It is not the mere cracking by growth, as the development of these cork cells which gives the rifts to trees. Something of this growth we believe to be connected with the production of russet in fruits, but some one should take in hand the demonstration of the fact before this belief is accepted as pure horticultural gospel. - Ed. G. M].