Discussion on Hybridization. 207 



camel's-hair brush is impracticable, but we found it helped the seeding 

 greatly to brush the flowers lightly every day or two with a feather duster. 



I have had no personal experience with the hybridizing of roses from 

 seed, but the grand results obtained by Henry Bennett, of London, were 

 obtained in hybridization by using, as far as possible, contrasting colors and 

 widely diflFerent classes; thus, crimson with white in color, and the hybrid 

 perpetual with the tea classes. Mr. Bennett found that the seedlings as a 

 rule partook more of the characteristics of the male than the female parent, 

 and hence in crossing was careful to obtain the highest standard of excel- 

 lence he could procure for that purpose. 



A question was raised, a year or two ago, whether or not hybrid- 

 ization affects the fruit in such plants as strawberries, melons, etc. All my 

 experiments so far have gone to show that such is not the case. If you im- 

 pregnate a dark-colored strawberry with a light-colored, or a tart with a 

 sweet, or vice versa, as far as my observation has gone, no perceptible change 

 takes place in the color, taste or shape of the fruit. Nutmeg melons care- 

 fully impregnated with cucumber pollen showed no change whatever in 

 either flavor, color or shape. That the seed would be influenced there is no 

 question, but the pericarp or fruit-case — analogous to the womb in animals — 

 as far as my observation has gone, is in no way affected by hybridization. 

 Consequently, you may grow all kinds of strawberries as close as you please, 

 and if you only want the fruit you will get it practically pure. So, too, you 

 may grow alongside of each other cucumbers, melons or squashes, if their 

 fruit only is wanted ; but if grown for the seed product, keep them as far 

 apart as practicable. We are so impressed with the necessity for this that, 

 in Kansas, where we have the most of our cucumber and melon seeds grown, 

 we have only one variety grown by one farmer, and we also try that the 

 farms be as far apart as possible. 



I beg to be excused for such a brief and imperfect treatise on such an 

 important subject, but the multitude of my duties prevents my giving the 

 necessary time that it deserves. 



DISCUSSION ON HYBRIDIZATION. 



Prof. Budd, of Iowa — Types of fruits differ Avith different sur- 

 roundings. The St. Michael is a smooth, thin-skinned orange, but 

 I find them often with welts or stripes of rough, thick skin, which 

 I believe to be the result of the fertilization of that particular lobe 

 of the fruit by the pollen from other varieties. This same feature 

 is often noticeable in the Roman Stem and other apples which grow 

 near those of different characteristics. Mr. Fuller and other high 

 authorities believe in this effect. 



Mr. Wier, of Illinois — PoUenization will change the character 



