STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 281 



original from which the first bud was taken, those peculiarities, whether of odor, 

 ta-te, color or shape, will reappear in the product ; but experience has also taught us 

 there is that a limit beyond which these repetitions cannot be conducted. 



Propagation by germination Is, therefore, considered as tending to exhaust the origi- 

 nal phis ic power; but, if from these artificial growths, seeds be taken and caused to 

 germinate, the plants so arising no longer present the Bpeclal, and, perhaps, valued 

 peculiarity, bnt in many instances run back at once to the original and wild stock. 



From these general, let us pass to special considerations, and gather a few practical 

 (acts with reference ; first, to the grape : 



I believe it is conceded by almost every one, that whilst thousands of cuttings of 

 various kinds, have been imported from foreign countries, and set in various sorts of 

 soils and exposure, yet the conviction has been confirmed, time and again, that foreign 

 vines were anBnited to our soil, and that in the hardy vines, grasping the great trees of 

 our forests, must be found the .stock capable to endure our American sun and frost, and 

 yield a fruit and juice for Americans to cat and drink. 



For wine the successful grape was at length found in the Catawba, a hardy, and pro- 

 ductive plant, apposed to be a seedling of the common fox variety ; and from which 

 Mr. Longworth, of Cincinnatti, Ohio, gained so much notoriety, as well as money in 

 Lis pocket. And now with reference to this eccentric man (Longworth) 1 wish briefly 

 to speak. He was a student of nature and labored assiduously in trying experiments. 

 He showed clearly a contempt for European precedent and scientific authority ; joining 

 issue with no less a person than Linnaeus. He tinned his attention 1o, and was success- 

 ful in, raising seedling grapes by planting the seed of our best native varieties, and ob- 

 taining from them good fruit in from two to four years. He also found out (something 

 tha was contrary to the Linnssan system), that there are both males (staminates) and 

 females (pistillates) in every productive strawberry bed ; and as a result of his experi- 

 ments \\c have what is known by the name of Longworth's Prolific — a seedling her- 

 maphrodite with both organs perfect in the same plant — said by some to be worth all the 

 Other varieties of strawberry plants ever raised; and he insists that still better her- 

 maphrodites than tliia may be obtained by following up the experiment ; that is, by 

 raising from the seed, as t lie Prolific and others were obtained. Longworth was truly a 

 practical pomologist. But I have not time to give further illustrations, either of men 

 or Iheir experiments. 



The European Crab has given origin to all the multiplied varieties of that delicious 

 fruit we call apple. And if there are preserves on our table let us remember, with 

 thankfulness, that Persia gave us the cherry, the peach and the plum, but of these 

 Standard fruits, so palatable and healthy; so varied in fa te and rich aroma, as to be 

 adapted, alike, to the wants of the invalid, or the healthy, 1 will not now Bp< ak, tor it 

 will be the province of this society to di.-cuss the many practical questions arising from 

 thes ■ important subjects. 



I have already stated that the nutrition (and of course the proper development of 

 flower- and tresi of plants is dependent on physical causes. Now, how can we best 

 control the violence or modify the action of these potcht agetltt, by artificial mearis, is a ques- 

 tion of vital importance. The rays of the sun are essential to jhe proper development 

 of all fruits, yel some, especially the baccifcrous, demand a certain amount of shade in 

 Summer and protection in Winter, to preserve them from the extremes of heat and 

 cold. The time for planting and the physical configuration of the ground upon which 



