BIOLOGY IN HUMAN AFFAIRS 



housewife driving to Faneuil Hall market in 1850 with her 

 horse and buggy would find no Green Mountain or Irish 

 Cobbler potatoes, no Mcintosh or Delicious apples, no 

 Elberta or Carman peaches, no Concord or Niagara grapes, 

 no Howard or Chesapeake strawberries. Golden Bantam 

 sweet corn and Iceberg lettuce did not exist, and grapefruit 

 was never seen. 



What will the great-granddaughter of this same woman 

 have to serve in 1950? It is certain that twenty years from 

 now will see some notable changes in fruits and vegetables. 

 Already lettuce, fresh peas, beans, and tomatoes are avail- 

 able nearly every month in the year. Instead of being grown 

 on nearby farms, they come from Florida, California, 

 Mexico, and Africa. New varieties are being developed 

 that will grow better and yield more in the new localities, 

 that will stand long shipment and be better colored and 

 more attractive when put on display. Already early and 

 productive stringless beans are available, so that there is 

 no excuse for a stringy bean on any market. The Cortland 

 apple hangs on to the tree, is well colored and productive, 

 and has a better flavor than its Mcintosh seed parent in 

 spite of the fact that its pollen parent was the Ben Davis. 

 The Mikado and Golden Jubilee peaches are new names 

 with which the housewife will soon become familiar. 

 Early Sunshine and Whipple sweet corn are replacing 

 Golden Bantam because they are earlier and handsomer. 

 Sheridan grapes have a richer flavor than the old Concord, 

 and the Portland ripens days ahead of any other grape. 

 Blueberries as big as cranberries can now be grown in any 

 garden where the soil and climate are suitable. Not a single 

 variety of major importance eighty years ago is a leading 

 variety at the present time. Many of the best fruits, 

 flowers, and vegetables of the present day were then un- 

 known. How were these new plants produced? In some cases 

 they were merely chance discoveries. 



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