14 STATE UORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



to leave the number proportiouate to the strength of root, frequently cutting 

 back imported plants to a single bud. 



4tli. We pack our roots so as to protect them from the air and keep them 

 moist. Why? Because those organs designed to live in the cool, moist earth 

 are not fitted to withstand the constant changes which occur in the atmosphere, 

 and if exposed to them would soon be killed. 



5th. We wrap our plant in some soft material which will hold the root pack- 

 ing in place and still further protect it by some heavier, stronger covering while 

 we carry or send it to the place where it is to grow. 



We then secure variety by transplanting, in which it is only necessary to 

 transport one of the little buds to a new home and provide for its nourish- 

 ment and growth, which we can only do by keeping with it some of the roots 

 of the plants, but these roots are the great obstacle to transplanting, as they 

 are secured with difliculty and must be carefully protected while in transit. 

 Returning to our question, how is variety secured in nature, and the answer 

 comes, by seeds. But what are seeds? Let us see. 



Seeds, then, are simply plants packed with the omnipotent wisdom and skill 

 of the Divine hand for transportation. What is tlie practical bearing of this 

 fact? Simply this, that when a farmer goes into his field with his seed corn 

 or wheat he carries with him the future possibilities and limitations of his crop 

 as completely as when he takes out a load of trees to set in his orchard ; indeed, 

 more so, for it is not practical to change the character of his corn and wheat 

 plants by grafting or budding, as he can do in the case of his trees. His seeds 

 planted, the character of his crop is determined. He may secure a more or 

 less perfect development of the fruit, just as he can by cultivation grow fine, 

 fair fruit or miserable, scabby ones from his Baldwin apple tree. But he can 

 no more change its character than he can grow Greenings on Baldwin wood, 

 or make, by extra care and feed a Short-horn bull out of the new-born Jersey 

 heifer calf. If these facts are true, and I honestly believe I have stated 

 them fairly, can we pay too much attention to the matter of the selection of 

 our seed-grains, and do not the farmers of Michigan owe Professor Beal a debt 

 of gratitude for the constant and earnest persistency with which he has urged 

 them to do this, and the practical methods in doing this which he has so fre- 

 quently and clearly described. 



The above gives but a feeble idea of the character of the address as given 

 by Professor Tracy, with pointer in hand and charts of illustration before him. 



After a duet by Messrs. Smart and Brown, the audience listened to a short 

 paper by Mr. E. M. Potter of Kalamazoo, who, pursuing the same general 

 subject, took from tlie scheme the topic 



MICniGAN NURSERY STOCK. 



To conduct successfully this department of horticulture in Michigan requires 

 years of practice and observation in Michigan, and this assertion, wo think, 

 will apply to the business in almost any climate or locality. Those who have 

 attempted to follow out the well-defined theory and practice of others, who 

 were considered fully competent to impart the desired information, have too 

 often been rewarded with great disappointment and pecuniary loss, and for the 

 very reason that tlic advice and practice of possibly successful experience under 

 entirely different conditions was taken as a guide. We think Michigan has 

 produced nursery stock which in range of quality would compare well with 

 that of any other State. What we mean is, some stock just as good, and nn- 



