STATE HOBTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 11 



ceptacle or ovary seems to depend upon this vitality of the ovule ; 

 and hence fruit containing developing ovules of strong vitality can 

 resist attacks of enemies better than fruit with a weak ovule. Then 

 if we can learn to govern this influence of the pollen , through the 

 science of breeding or the laws in reproduction, we will have enlarged 

 our capacity in the production of fruits of high quality. The seeds 

 of fruit must be fertilized or the fruit will not develop. Apples 

 having seeds not fertilized, drop when they have reached a cer- 

 tain stage of development. If they have to be fertilized at all, will 

 not a fertilization in accordance with known laws prove more bene- 

 ficial than an accidental fertilization ? Does it not give increased 

 vigor and stronger development ? 



One stalk of corn grown alone and distant from any other will 

 give a marked illustraticfc. It shows a moderately well developed 

 cob, some weakly developed grains, and some grains not developed. 

 Those partly developed indicate that the pollen and ovules were so 

 closely allied, being from same individual, as to cause a deficient 

 development; and those grains undeveloped indicate an entire absence 

 of pollen, or pollen so closely allied that tliere was no affinity between 

 it and the ovule. In either case there was no strong'vitality result- 

 ing from the action of the pollen. If there was no influence extend- 

 ing beyond the ovule, why would not the ovary, or the grain, develop 

 as well, without the action or the pollen? In the case of corn the 

 apparent and imperfect mixing of varieties the first season seems to 

 be an evidence of only an influence beyond the ovule, as the true 

 mixture is in the ovule and not fully apparent till the succeeding 

 generation. 



For several years I have noticed our best apples of several varie- 

 ties were from trees where the varieties grew contiguous. Among 

 these were English Golden Russet and Roman Stem, that stood with 

 limbs interlocking between the parallel rows. The finest specimens 

 of these varieties were taken from these limbs, and many of them 

 showing a tendency to approach the other variety in characteristics. 

 Not but what Roman Stems were taken from Roman Stem trees and 

 Russets from Russet trees, but there was a slight tendency in each 

 one to approach the other, enough to excite the question whether 

 this mixing of blood was not responsible for the better appearance 

 of the fruit and the greater apparent resistance to its enemies. On 

 trees of Maiden Blush and Fameuse standing near together we have 

 for several seasons obtained better fruit than from same varieties 

 standing by themselves, though I have been unable to detect any 

 difference in the appearance or thriftiness of the trees, to which it 

 might be due. 



If there is this influence on the fruit, due to cross fertilization, 

 we can use it in the orchard to remedy much of the inferior quality 



