STATE AGRICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 141 



a. Means of Propagation. — This is usually by cuttings, layers 

 and suckers. I do not intend here to open the old controversy 

 relative to the natural duration of perennials, when so propa- 

 gated. That the rose, grape, raspberry, &c., are readily, nay, 

 naturally thus propagated, I readily admit. Nor do I dispute 

 the wisdom, nay, the necessity of resorting to this method usu- 

 ally, and for the time. That the grape, potato, &c., in a perfect 

 climate, and in a course of culture eminently wise, might practi- 

 cally last forever, may also be admitted; at least tlie subject, 

 under these qualifications, is not worth disputing about. But 

 practically this admission is of little benefit to the advocates of 

 such perpetuity. All grape growing lands are not situated in a 

 Grecian or Californian climate, nor are all cultivators Downings 

 or Lindleys. As soils are, and as most cultivation is performed, 

 W'C must ever act on the implication that there is a limit to the 

 healthful duration of all varieties of plants, cultivated as per- 

 ennials, and that sooner or later we must look to seedlings, spon- 

 taneously or artificially originated as a necessary means of the 

 healthful continuance of our useful species of plants. 



1. The use of cuttings especially involves a trial of the con- 

 stitutional powers of the plant, during its period of rooting by 

 exposure to severe climatic influence. 



2. The use of grafts, buds, cuttings, sprouts, &;c., does not 

 transcend the accumulated depression of previous years, arising 

 from bad culture, uncongenial soil or climate, as a seedling would 

 do. Buds, cuttings, &c., taken from certain trees whose depre- 

 ciation is in the advance of others in the same neighborhood , and 

 of the same sort, are found to produce weak and sickly trees. 

 If such be the case with them, how soon may the action of the 

 same causes bring other trees of the same sort into the same con- 

 dition of weakness 1 



3. Tlie uncongeniality of soils and climates diflering from those 

 in which a certain variety w^as originated, is also thus more 

 severely felt, altliougli in the case of sucli as exhibit wide adap- 

 tation this argument has less force. In contradistinction to all 

 such j)ermanent modes of pro]>agating the grape an occasional 

 resort to seedlings would result in a hardier constitution and a 

 higher adaptation to soil and climate. Tliis hope is based most 

 confidently on general analogy, and on some recent expcrienot 



