12 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



of the fruit, by planting the trees so as to give the greatest oppor- 

 tunity to the foreign pollen. Instead of setting trees of each variety 

 together, mix as far as possible with other varieties with somewhat 

 similar characteristics. 



I am aware there are among fruits many cases where fertilization 

 does not seem necessary, and in which there is no development of seed. 

 We have seedless raisins, grapes without seed, the banana, the navel 

 orange, etc. In these cases there may be fertilization, but if so the 

 influence of the pollen is all extended beyond the ovule into the fruit. 

 If there is no fertilization it is evident that the fruit develops with- 

 out any influence from the seed. Fruit that does develop without 

 having seed, seems to grow in the most perfect environments — con- 

 ditions that require but little resistance to enemies, and where less 

 vitality is needed than under less favorable conditions. Grapes 

 within a paper bag do not have the enemies to resist, that grapes 

 without a paper bag have. The seedless raisins, bananas, etc., grow 

 in perfect climatic conditions, and do not have the enemies that fruit 

 grown under imperfect conditions have. A cry in Florida is "what 

 is the matter with navel oranges that they do not bear better?" 

 Because some fruit will develop without seed it does not follow but 

 that they might prove stronger if they had them. 



Mr. Augustine — I have this criticism to make on Mr. Cope's 

 paper. He has told us that seed from the cider-mill should not be 

 planted, but has not told us of a better way to procure them. 

 Thousands of bushels are planted annually, and if we go to the 

 orchard and select seed from the best fruit, it will be a slow and 

 expensive process. 



Col. Brackett, of Iowa — This question of stock and scion is 

 an old one. As a rule we should select the best seed for planting, 

 but it is well to bear in mind that when we graft we change the 

 whole structure. Take a lot of seed from a cider-mill and graft the 

 young seedlings with Dachesse and they will be alike hardy, but 

 plant seed of the Duchesse and graft with a tender variety, and the 

 trees will all be alike tender. Hence, we see that if the scion is 

 hardy, the root has little or no effect. 



Mr. Cope — Mr. Augustine says where shall we get our seed? 

 Everything that is first-class costs something, and first-class apple- 

 seed will be no exception to the rule. I know of an apple tree fifty- 

 six years old that is healthy and productive, and am very sure that 

 seed taken from it would make better and more hardy trees than 



