FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 203 



We can discuss the questions and educate tlie young men. We can teach 

 them to read, investigate, and understand. 



If the farmers demand such experiments, they should at least know the dif- 

 ficulties beforehand and be willing to make provision for the expense, and show 

 patience by waiting a reasonable length of time before demanding definite 

 results. 



The Qualities Needed for an Experimenter. 



Professor Voelcker, a celebrated English chemist long accustomed to experi- 

 menting says, " It is essential to observe that much self-dcHial and conscien- 

 tiousness, as well as care and attention, are primary requisites on the part of 

 the experimenter who engages in field trials, for this simple reason — that, not- 

 withstanding all the care that can be bestowed upon them, unforeseen circum- 

 stances may altogether spoil the result. He must be a man who does not hesitate, 

 if necessary to throw the result of three or four years' labor into the waste-paper 

 basket before he makes any appearance before the public." 



A good experimentei", then, must be honest, patient, skillful, persevering, — a 

 trained observer and have a good understanding of what has already been done 

 or is already known. 



For some six years I have been giving considerable thought to the subject of 

 experiments in horticulture. 



I will now run over the subject and consider some of the experiments which 

 may seem most promising of good results. 



Let me add that the farmer needs to be a student and have a thorough knowl- 

 edge of botany and vegetable and animal physiology. With what interest and 

 deej) study does every successful breeder of stock watch the results of his cross- 

 ing and pairing of animals. The successful raiser and originator of new varieties 

 of plants is equally on the alert to discover anything new and valuable among 

 his seedlings. A new seedling of any value does not escape his notice. So we 

 have already, or will have in time, dwarf forms of every valuable plant. We 

 may also expect to obtain varieties with cut leaves, with variegated and jiurple 

 and red leaves, and varieties with a weeping habit. These may all be found as 

 chance seedlings or sports by those who are ever watching for them. 



3futual Influence of the Stock and Scion. 



This subject has demanded a good deal of attention and discussion. Some 

 things seem to be certain, and others are merely surmised. 



If we cut up a long root of a seedling apple and insert scions of different vari- 

 eties, a part on each root, the young trees Avhich result from these grafts will 

 have roots unlike each other. The difference may be very slight or it may be 

 very apparent. The scion, then, influences the form of growth in the root. In. 

 some cases, at least, we know that the root or stock has an influence on the 

 scion, as in dwarfing pears when grafted on quince stock. Some pears do best 

 on quince stock ; some will not do well on quince stock, and between these there 

 are all shades of difference. We have no certain fixed rule by which we can 

 decide these matters without experimenting with each variety. The vigor of 

 the stock affects the vigor of the graft. Whether the quality, color, and flavor 

 of fruits are dependent in any degree upon the stock on which they are grafted 

 is a matter not yet settled. Experiments are needed. 



I propose trying the seeds of several varieties of apples to see if any prefer- 

 ence can be shown in favor of any sort as to mode or rapidity of growth or har- 

 diness. I also expect to assort the seeds of each variety as to size, to see how 



