STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 95 



nurseryman, and especially the nurseyman, have observed with 

 jealous eyes the profits of pedigree breeding in animals and 

 seeds. They have said, if selection and pedigree have done so 

 much for the animal and vegetable industry, why should it not 

 do as much for the fruit industry? If the dairyman can im- 

 prove his herd by selection from his best producers for breeding 

 purposes, why cannot the fruit grower improve his orchards by 

 taking his scions from trees of known producing powers, and 

 improve his strawberry plantation by taking runners from 

 plants that were high yielders? In short, it has been claimed 

 and preached by many that varieties of tree, vine and bush 

 fruits should have a known pedigree and that such a pedigree 

 would insure betterment in production, quality, vigor, and 

 hardiness of these fruits. 



Many well known nurseymen and a few horticulturists of 

 national reputation have endorsed this plan of propagating 

 fruits, while many others, equally as famous, have protested 

 and said that there is absolutely no virtue in it. 



We have here a matter of great economic importance to nur- 

 serymen and fruit growers. If we can select scions and buds 

 that will give superior fruit, our fruit and nursery business 

 ought to be reorganized along new lines. If we cannot so im- 

 prove our fruits, we ought to stop talking about pedigree fruits 

 and pedigree nursery stock. The question is of such importance 

 that it ought to be settled quickly one way or the other. 



I, perhaps, would better define my own position before going 

 further. It is this : In general, fruit, vines, flowers and other 

 plants are propagated by cuttings, buds, scions, and all other 

 like manner of vegetative reproduction, without the interven- 

 tion of sex, may possibly be improved by bud selection, but such 

 improvement is rare. I believe that there may be a vaiue in the 

 so-called "pedigreed" nursery stock, but that in the great major- 

 ity of cases there is absolutely no foundation in fact for the 

 great virtues claimed for such stock. It may appear to you as 

 though I am dodging the issue and trying to play safe, but such 

 is not the fact. I believe unreservedly that as a general prac- 

 tice there is absolutely no virtue in the practice of picking out 

 the best bearing trees in our orchards and propagating from 

 them. I believe that there is nothing of intrinsic value to 

 recommend the practice of cutting scions from bearing trees in 



