236 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



in his admirable essay before the American Pomological 

 Societ}^, " Most of our esteemed and important fruits have 

 not so much been given to man, as made by him ; and man's 

 work in this respect is mainly to direct the course, or ten- 

 dency, of nature." The success which has attended the 

 American cultivator in the production of new and fine varie- 

 ties of fruits, vegetables and plants, Avhich rival the choicest 

 varieties of the Old World, is indeed remarkable, and it will 

 be far greater when the same scientific knowledge is applied 

 to the production of native fruits. 



The laws which govern the procreation of species by cross- 

 impregnation are now so well understood by those who have 

 scientific knowledge, as to leave no doubt of success. Thus, 

 the fruitist, the farmer and the florist, are producing results 

 which, as to form, habit, color, proportion and beauty, sur- 

 prise the operator himself, when he sees how kindly nature 

 cooperates with his elForts to bring forth the object of his 

 desires. There may be disappointments, — these are the lot 

 of humanity, — but the philosophical principle is correct, and 

 the results of practice are now universally acknowledged ; 

 and although the improvement sought for may not be realised 

 in every instance, experience has taught us that it will come 

 at last. 



"When we look back to the original types of many of our 

 fruits, — small, inferior, hard, and of acrid, disagreeable flavor, 

 — and compare them with our large, magnificent apples, melt- 

 ing pears, luscious peaches, delicious grapes and strawberries, 

 we realize the improvement which has already taken place. It 

 is not unreasonable to suppose that there are rich stores still 

 reserved in the arcana of uature which may be developed by 

 the hand of man. We may not produce more beautiful 

 apples or luscious pears than we now possess, but we may 

 gain numerous new kinds, of equal value, and better adapted 

 to our various locations, seasons and markets, and we believe 

 the time is not distant when we shall produce varieties equally 

 well adapted to extensive location, as the Bartlett and Beurre 

 d'Anjou pear, the Concord grape and the Wilson strawberry, 

 and of much better quality than the last named. 



Your Committee would therefore encourage our cultivators 

 in the belief that, by the sowing of the seeds of our best 



