132 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



should not eeek to improve his fruits by breeding them, as well as 

 selection. 



Let us pass to another phase of this most interesting subject. We 

 hear continually about us the indiscriminate discussion of whole-root, 

 piece-root, seedlings, cuttings, buddings, grafting, layering, and in fact 

 all the other plans of growing fruits, plants, trees etc. 



First, then, we always take it for granted that seedlings are more 

 hardy than other fruits, do we not? If so, then how many genera- 

 tions would it take to make the peach perfectly hardy ? If seedlings 

 are more hardy, why then are not our later varieties of fruits, apples,, 

 peaches, pears, cherries, grapes etc. more hardy than our older varie- 

 ties? Are they not all seedlings? Is this statement true ? If not true,, 

 then can it be made true that we can produce more hardy varieties by 

 crossing and breeding and selection ? I am sure that this can be done ;. 

 and we certainly want our Station to take up this work with intelligence 

 and earnestness and perseverance, for one year or ten years or fifty 

 years if it should take that long to establish the law. 



Let us see for a moment where our seedlings come from. The 

 apple seed, for instance, is saved from the poorest, most immature,, 

 smallest wormy apples that can be found in our orchard. If there is 

 any tree that is dying, or diseased, or the apples too small and poor ta 

 sell, they are sent to the cider mill, and the seed saved from such fruit 

 as this is used for propagation. Is it any wonder that our orchard* 

 are beginning to decay at the root so early in life ? Can we expect the 

 best trees from such a beginning ? Add to this, then, if you please, the 

 indiscriminate collecting of the cions from all kinds, sorts and con- 

 ditions of the tree; have we not another source of the diseases in our 

 orchards ? In fact, two things are important to the life of the tree — first,. 

 a sound and healthy root, and second, sound, thrifty cions from 

 healthy trees. How shall we obtain them? By using the best seed 

 from only perfect, hardy, healthy fruits ; plant them and test them for 

 three or four years before you graft tliem ; let them stand the rigor* 

 of the winter and the tests of the summer sun, and use only those that 

 stand the test. Then graft such trees with cions that come from only 

 healthy trees, and if we do not have an improvement in the life of 

 our trees, then there is no advantage in selection, or crossing, or pro- 

 pagation. Again, if we make selections from these seedlings, and thus 

 propagate generation after generation for the hardiest and best, i& 

 there any one so foolish as to think we will see no improvement ? 



Then if we can add to this judicious breeding or crossing of these 

 fruits before the seed is selected, we cannot but be sure of an improve- 

 ment in the hardiness, productiveness and quality of our fruits, espe- 



