282 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTUEAL 



all places where animal product is used. The dano^er is nothing 

 compared to the decay of vegetable matter around the home, on the 

 farm or in the wilderness. 



I would recommend that we do not destroy all vegetation, for 

 fear that if we make too great an effort to save our lives we will lose 

 them. The vast countries of the old world, now uninhabitable - — 

 Arabia, much of Asia, and largR tracts of all the older settled coun- 

 tries — are now desolate in consequence of the destruction of plant 

 growth. Denuded of forests and minor vegetation the rainfall ceased 

 and the land was desolate. No water no life, vegetable or animal. 

 Too much, when it is not needed, means decay to those forms of vege- 

 tation most useful to human life. Too much decay means pestilence 

 to air-breathers. The province of intelligence is to discover and pre- 

 serve the safest medium between the two conditions. Support and 

 encourage plant growth, guard carefully against surface decay, and 

 thus protect animal, and especially human, life. A resume of all 

 these words amounts simply to this, in my opinion: surface drainage, 

 clean lands, by pasturage or burning, for health; surface drainage, 

 deep culture or downward draining, for wealth. 



Mr. Dunlap — Did the essayist mean to convey the impression 

 that tile draining will remove from the soil some of its organic ele- 

 ments. My impression has always been that the excess of water 

 passed off without any detriment to the soil. Does any one know, 

 by actual experiment, that such is not the case? 



Dr. Lyon — I have never yet heard that drainage was injurious 

 to any soil. All the water that falls should percolate through the 

 soil and pass off below. The more you drain the more your land will 

 retain moisture. This is not theory but facts. 



AN APPLE— WHAT IS IT? 

 BY T. J. BURRILL. 



It has been shown very conclusively that the parts of a flower 

 are transformed leaves. Under some circumstances their true nature 

 is unmistakably exhibited. The petals of roses, for instance, are occa- 

 sionally perfectly green, and the shape and veination are exactly 

 those of the ordinary leaves. By a careful study of the various or- 

 gans of plants, it has been ascertained that everything in its origin 

 may be referred to either a root, a stem, a leaf or a hair. This gives 

 no place for the fruit. All fruits are developed out of something 

 else. The highly prized pulp of the strawberry is only the end of 

 the stem, specially modified, swollen, sweetened and flavored, bearing 

 the real fruits on its surface. These latter we call seeds, but the fact 



