STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. / 



As horticultui'ists, it is not only proper for iis to learn in the various departments of 

 our pursuits, liow a given amount of laV>or can be turned to the most dollars and cents ; 

 but if we are that dignilied, scientific, self-sacrificing l}ody of men we claim to be, tliis 

 should not be the sole object of oiu* deliberations — not solely to conduct our avocations 

 so as most efliciently to line our own pockets, but we should study and work for the 

 love and pleasure of bringing forth fruits or facts that may bo a blessing to those that 

 come after us. 



Thus far, all tht^ progress that has been made in the improvement of varieties of 

 fruits, beyond the labors of a lew isolated experimenters, has occuiTcd from accidental 

 seedlings. As yet, very little has been done in the production of new varieties by 

 artificial means of fertilization. 



For untold ages this work of hybridizing has been going on through the agency of 

 the winds and the little bee. liOt us take hints from nature, and learn from the bee. 

 If the bee can transmit the pollen of the flower from tree to tree and plant to plant, 

 may not the hand of intelligence do as much? A wide and interesting field here lies 

 before us almost iniexplored ! "What blessings to posterity is yet to be the reward of 

 scientific diligence in this direction ! 



If all our melting pears have originated from tJic wild choke pear of Europe, and the 

 peach and the almond ft-om the wild peach of Persia, by the means of natural variations 

 and accidental crossing, who shall say where is the limit to the improvement of fruits, 

 or what may not be eftccted by intelligence in artificial means of hybridizing? 



With the aci'idental seedling we experiment with not to exceed one chance in a thou- 

 sand for improvement. With hybridizing, we proceed with intelligence and a reason- 

 able expectation of what may be the result. It is but making a practical application of 

 the principles of nature for the amelioration of our fruits. 1 will venture the opinion 

 that through this means a class of fruits will be brought forth in future entirely sur- 

 passing our present selections. We yet know nothing of any bounds that nature has 

 set in the improvement of fruits. 



Between the Siberian apple and the common apple, it is believed that several acciden- 

 tal hybrids have already originated. I am aware this is doubted by some, merely on 

 theoretical grounds. But it is now well known that hybridization is not in all cases 

 bounded by the baniers of botanical classification. We have already crossed that 

 boundary line in different instances where the specific difference is more strongly 

 marked than between the Fyrus malus and Pynis malus 'prunifolia. What a pity, that 

 Nature pays so little regard to some of the by-laws, and botanical rules yve have pre- 

 scribed for her in our boohs ! And who shall say through means of artificial hyl)ridizing 

 what is to be the mission of the Siberian apple? May not new hybrids be originated 

 having mainly the hardy characteristics of the tree of the one parent, and the fruit of 

 the other? And thus, may not the cultivation of our apple be carried up our mountain 

 slopes, and beyond the line of British Amei'ica. On this subject of hybridizing, there 

 is an interesting field of inquiry of which we are yet almost entirely ignorant. It rests 

 with us to make an advance in this direction, or leave it wholly for those who shall come 

 after us. 



While tree and fruit culture have extended greatly in the last decade of years, and 

 we have learned much of practical cultivation, yet it must be confessed we have not 

 made equal progi-ess in the improvement of varieties, except, perhaps, with the grape. 



