40 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



leaves of the flower) so as to expose the pistil and stamens, and at 

 the same time remove the stamens. This is easily done with either 

 scissors or small tweezers, and early in the morning is the best time^ 

 before the stamens give off pollen, the object being to prevent self- 

 fertilization; and to further guard against such a course, the pistil 

 should be covered so that the dust-like pollen can not be brought into 

 contact with it by the wind or insects. For this purpose use light muslin 

 or cheese-cloth, of convenient size to cover the cluster nicely, and keep 

 in position with a pin. When we have j)roceeded thus far w^e have the 

 unfertilized pistil, which will soon be ready to receive pollen, and so 

 must decide what varieties shall be the staminate j)arents. The flowers 

 that open on a bright morning will by ten o'clock be abundant with 

 pollen. This is easily collected on a camel's-hair pencil. The flower 

 previously prepared may then be uncovered and the pollen applied to 

 the upper surface of the pistil, or stigma, as is termed. Cover the flower 

 again for a day or two, and the work is completed. A w^hole cluster of 

 flowers may be thus worked by repeating the operation from day to day 

 as they reach the proper stage of development. 



In plants for florists' use it is important that they have a good, vigor- 

 ous constitution, and to impart this to the seedling the more robust 

 varieties are selected for pistillate parent. I have no doubt that hardi- 

 ness and vigor are desirable qualifications in all kinds of fruit and so. I 

 advise such to be used for bearing the seed, and depend upon the pollen- 

 furnishing variety for productiveness and quality. A complete record 

 of the work may be kept by using an ordinary tree label, numbering each 

 operation, and at the same time entering in a book a corresponding num- 

 ber with the record, thus : No. 1, Early Crawford X Early Michigan ; No. 

 2, Early Crawford X Barnards. In all cases the seed parent is first men- 

 tioned.' Do not fail to keep a record of your work. It will be very gratify- 

 ing to know just how a choice seedling was produced, and very likely 

 will suggest to you a way whereby other desirable improvements may be 

 made. When the fruit is ripe, the seeds should be saved, carefully num- 

 bered, and placed aAvay for safe keeping until planting. Like all work 

 of this kind, it is only by persistent effort that good can be accomplished. 

 It seems to me that there are great possibilities in store for some one 

 who will take up the work, and^I can see no reason why his labors will 

 not be fully rewarded. 



DISCUSSION. 



Prof. Slaytou: It is just as easy to cross different varieties of fruit 

 or flower as it is different varieties of cattle or sheep. The process is a 

 similar one, only, in the blossoms, in perfect blossoms, we find the two 

 organs in the same flower. The paper has described that part thoroughly, 

 i'ou understand, of course, after this blossom has been treated as the 

 paper describes, the seed must be used, and the product of that seed 

 will be the hybrid. That is what will show the effects of the crossing. 

 In fruits you can not take a tree and cross it, and expect that the fruit on 

 that tree wall be affected. liut you plant the seed that is in the fruit, and 

 raise the tree, and in five or six years you will have a fruit that will show 

 the effects of the cross. 



