278 Nebraska State Horticultural Society. 



stead of waiting for it to open the next day, it is a question whether 

 he will ever take any great interest in plant breeding. 



Lines of Work Suited to Laboratory Presentation. 



Just what phase of the subject of plant breeding shall be brought 

 to the student's attention in the laboratory will doubtless depend 

 somewhat on the instructor's viewpoint. Naturally his own hob- 

 bies will receive ample illustration. Nevertheless it is to be assumed 

 of course that the instructor will try to present all phases of his sub- 

 ject with due consideration for their relative importance. Manifestly, 

 however, some things are better adapted to presentation in the labor- 

 atory than others. Personally I have not attempted to introduce into 

 my laboratory work any thing to illustrate the effect of environment 

 on the production of improved varieties of plants. Doubtless some- 

 thing of the sort could be done, but the lines of work which to my 

 mind seem best suited to laboratory study are the methods and re- 

 sults of hybridization and of straight selection. 



As between teaching practical methods on the one hand and fund- 

 amental principles on the other, it is my belief that the latter should 

 receive the greater attention in a general course. While some part 

 of any work in plant breeding will naturally be devoted to practical 

 methods, such work is special for the most part and belongs therefore^ 

 with a study of particular crops rather than in a general course. 



Practical Work In Hybridization. 



The practical work in hybridization will usually consist of practice 

 in cross-pollinating the flowers of a number of common plants. The 

 particular plants used will of course depend on the locality where the 

 course is given, and upon the season of the year in which it Is offered. 

 Some of the plants selected should have perfect flowers and others im- 

 perfect ones. Some plants should be included that must not be polli- 

 nated until the pistils mature and some that permit of premature 

 pollination. The plants chosen for the first work should have flowers 

 that are easy to operate upon, while later more difficult subjects should 

 be included. On the whole, comparatively little time should be spent 

 on this work. If the student gets an insight into general methods 

 it is enough. When he comes to take up the breeding of a particular 

 crop he will adopt his own method anyway. 



