SUMMER MEETING, 1882. Go 



erous varieties, and it scenis probable that this or its .combinations with P. 

 cliicasa, might become the means of securing desirable results. 



AVe have already referred to the several indigenous wild cherries as afford- 

 ing a promising Held lor hybridization. It may be a matter of grave doubt 

 whether hybridization between them shall be found even possible ; still their 

 diverse peculiarities afford occasion for the belief that, once effected, the 

 progeny must show decided variations, probably from both ])arents. 



The gooseberries, even in the wild state, vary greatly. Enough has been 

 already alfected with them, to encourage the hope that by continual selection 

 and hybridizations, we may be able to rival the English in this fruit; if not in 

 size, at least in quality. 



Our native Sambucus (elder) is so objectionable on account of its persistent 

 disposition to emit sprouts that we doubt if it would prove even tolerable in 

 cultivation. It is, moreover, so little inclined to vary that there seems Ijut 

 slight encouragement for the efforts to improve it. 



The varieties of Vaccinium (blueberry) are so numerous, and their peculiari- 

 ties so distinguish them from each other, and, moreover, some of them, and 

 especially corymljosum, vary so considerably in both size and quality as to 

 afford ample ground for the hope that, as the result of cross fertilization, or 

 the selections of seeds and seedlings, something of real value may be obtained. 

 The tall, bushy corymlosum would seem to offer the greatest promise in this 

 respect on account of its stronger growth. The small size of the plants of 

 the other blueberries, as well as their peculiar demands as to soil, shelter, etc., 

 may be found to be serious obstacles in the way of their profitable utilization, 

 vinder cultivation, notwithstanding the fact that even in the native form their 

 productiveness, size, and quality have always given them a position in popular 

 estimation. The suggestion is occasionally heard that experiment would be 

 likely to deduce desirable results from this family of natives, still, so far as 

 "we are informed, this field remains wholly unoccupied. 



Viburnum opulics (tree cranberry) may perhaps be made to develop some- 

 thing useful, under expert treatment, since it can be readily subjected to gar- 

 den culture, but so long as we have, as its alternate, that prolific denizen of 

 our marshes, the American cranberry {Vaccinium Macrocaiyon), we are likely 

 to rest content with this as the basis of our operations. 



The genus viiis, in some of its forms, is at home in most sections of our 

 State. Oordifolia (riparia), evinces some tendency to variation, within rather 

 narrow limits. Lahrusca occasionally occurs in the more southern counties. 

 "We are not sure that cBsUvatis is really a native of our State, although very 

 common and successful as an introduction, under cultivation. As evidence of 

 the susceptibility of this family to improvement we only need point to the won- 

 derful results of the efforts for this purpose, so persistently carried on by the 

 grand army of experimenters during the last quarter of a century — results 

 that promise to transfer to America the title, the home of the vine, so long 

 arrogated to their locality by the residents of Southern and Central Europe, 

 the right to which seems now to be sadly endangered by the rapid improve- 

 ment of American varieties, as well as by the inroads of that insidious enemy, 

 the phylloxera. 



In the shallow water of very many of our lakes and estuaries the Indian or 

 wild rice {Zizania aqiiatica) finds a congenial home, supplying a valuable arti- 

 cle of food to the red man -of the forest, with an abundant residuun), which is 

 usually appropriated by hordes of aquatic wild fowls. 



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