THE PRACTICAL VALUE OF GENETICS 345 



Anthony seem to indicate that they are really hybrids between 

 American species if not between V. labrusca and V. vinifera. 

 Whatever the origin of the Concord may have been, its sterling 

 value is evidenced by its history. Introduced in 1853, ' ten years 

 later the Concord grape was spread over the entire northern part 

 of the United States and is now widely used in the temperate 

 regions of most parts of the earth.' Ephraim Bull's service to 

 his fellow men seems to have been all but forgotten while he was 

 still living, since 'he died neglected, in poverty, broken in spirit.' 

 Vast as would be the value of his contribution if it could be com- 

 puted, even more valualile was the inspiration he gave, 'which 

 has helped to make plant breeding one of the great forces in 

 cheaply feeding the world.' " (Babcock and Clausen.) 



Nor has food supply alone been the object of plant hybridiza- 

 tion. An inestimable number of beautiful varieties of flowers 

 have been given to us through this medium, and even now fanciers 

 of peonies, irises, roses and many other plants find new offerings 

 available every year from the gardens of plant breeders who 

 experiment tirelessly with hyl^iids of promising varieties. Within 

 the last few years the beautiful yellow hybrid tea rose. Souvenir 

 de Claudius Fernet, has been acclaimed by lovers of flowers 

 throughout the world. Even more recently there has been added 

 to the already magnificent array of tulips a new class, late-flowering 

 hybrids, produced by crossing the Darwin and Cottage varieties. 

 The poetaz narcissus was produced by crossing poeticus ornatus 

 and polj^anthus varieties. It combines the large clusters of the 

 latter with the hardiness of the former and has an exquisite odor 

 of its own (Fig. 193). New varieties of Iris germ.anica are also 

 constantly appearing. 



Animal Hybrids. The problems of the animal breeder are 

 very different from those of the plant breeder, but in general the 

 same fundamental methods are open to him. W^hile selection 

 plays a very large part in the development of improved strains 

 of animals, we are not without familiar examples of animal 

 hybrids whose value to the human race is permanently established. 

 Mules, for example, are produced b}^ crossing the male ass with 

 the female horse and can be produced in no other way. The 

 mule breeding industry attained a value of $500,000,000 in the 

 United States in 1915. The mule is a more vigorous animal than 

 either of the parent species, and is more resistant to adverse 



