CO Aiiirriraii I Idrl'ifnltii ral Sociifi/. 



tl)(' col) is that ])orti()n wliicli corresponds to tlic fU-sliy jxutinii of 

 the straw l)(i IV. In hotuny tlic strawberry is merely tlie recej)tuclc 

 on wliieli the trne frnit (the seed) are hicated. I low ihr process of 

 fertilization can niatcrialiy change this recej)tacle is more than 1 

 can nnderstand. 



Mr. Durand, of Missouri — Did yon ever plant pop coin with 

 small cobs among large cobbed varieties; and was not the size of 

 the cob increased? 



Mr. Merioin — I have not noticed the color of the cob changed 

 from white to red, or the reverse. 



Mr. Aiif/ur, of Connecticut — We must accept positive evidence in 

 candor and without prejudice. Some of us Connecticut farmers vis- 

 ited a gentleman's melon patch. The melons, though fine looking, 

 were poor in quality. He exjdained by saying, " I planted citrons 

 near my melons and they have spoiled them." He did not certainly 

 know that the melon seeds were pure, but he thought they were. 

 Prof. Beal stated to me, in a letter, that he was convinced that the 

 influence of cross-fertilization might be at once visil)le in the fruit. 



Mr. Ohiiicr, of Ohio — In justice to Prof. I/azenby, of the Ohio 

 Ex|)eriment Station, 1 will say that his experiments have been made 

 with great accuracy. He says he coidd recognize crosses of tlic 

 Crescent at once, and that he was enabled to tell by what variety 

 it was fertilized. 1 visited liini and saw enough to ct)nvince me 

 there was mucli ti-ntli in his assertions. 



Mr. Miinson, of Texas — It seems to me desirable tiiat the experi- 

 menter should know exactly the botanical strnctni'es, and should 

 tell us just how much and what jiarts of the fruit are affected by 

 cross-fertilization. The receptacle of the sti'awberry and the cob of 

 corn are not identical in structure <u" moi'j)hology. In animals, 

 blood will continue to assert itself for several generations following 

 a cross. In the aji])le the case differs from that of the strawberry. 

 We might not recognize effects in the apjjle even if we could in the 

 strawberry, because the pai'ts we call fruit arc niorphologically dif- 

 ferent. 



Mr. J. G. Evrni.s, of .Missouri — From the Committee on Excur- 

 sions, reported recommending that the Society go to Shell Beach (Ui 



