4G(» STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



6omo plants in our llowor gardens. J3y this means they economise time. They 

 get the hang of it. They learn how better to make more rapid motions, and 

 to make every motion count. The same as is true of people wlio become 

 expert in certain parts of any trade after much practice in often repeating the 

 satne operation." 



A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION. 



The twelfth and last chapter of this fertile book is devoted to general results. 

 Tjikc most of the other chapters, to do it justice would require long quotations. 

 The seeds from a plant are benefited by the llowers having been fertilized by 

 ]iollcn of another plant which had been subjected to quite different conditions. 

 This is brought about in many instances in the same spot where seeds have lain 

 covered or dormant for some years, and then are turned up or placed in favor- 

 able condition to grow and mix with plants from seed produced in later years. 

 Seeds are no doubt inliuenced by being kept for a long time. " Those which 

 were matured during different seasons, will have been subjected during the 

 whole course of their development to different degrees of heat and moisture." 

 *''Itisa common practice with horticulturists to obtain seeds from another 

 place having a very different soil so as to avoid raising plants for a long suc- 

 cessiou of generations under the same conditions ; but with all the species which 

 freely intercross by the aid of insects or the wind, it would be an incomparably 

 better plan to obtain seeds of the required variet}', which had been raised for 

 some generations under as different conditions as possible, and sow them in 

 alternate rows with seeds matured in the old garden. The two stocks would 

 then intercross, with a thorough blending of their whole organizations, and 

 with no less of purity to the variety ; and this would yield far more favorable 

 results than a mere exchange of seeds." 



Agricultural College, Lansiug, Mich., August, 1877 . 



