346 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



coml3ination of desirable qualities. In most instances nature does the 

 opposite, for there is a survival of the fittest, and if left to nature 

 the conditions don't remain as favorable for the continual develop- 

 ment of the big, luscious peach or apple as they do for the small, hard, 

 undesirable, thin-fleshed individuals, and in time the former succumbs. 

 This is what occurs if a variety is left to go wild. We are after the 

 desirable qualities, and we want to know every factor which bears on 

 them so that we can combine them in such a way as to obtain the 

 best possible results. 



Of the controlling factors, climate and soil stand out pre-eminently, 

 and of the two, the latter has only received a passing consideration. 

 It is impossible to change the climate, but we can place each variety 

 of fruit in a soil environment which will encourage and bring out the 

 desirable qualities if we study the plant's needs earefullj^ 



Very much has been accomplished in plant breeding in past years 

 and a great amount of valuable information has been obtained relative 

 to the development of desirable varieties of fruit and in working out 

 the causation of those attractive qualities which most nearly approach 

 the ideal of the most fastidious taste. 



Thousands of varieties of fruit have been developed and recom- 

 mended for all regions of suitable climate on the ground that fruit 

 varieties remain constant and are little influenced by the soil type. 

 The influence of environment has not been properly consulted in com- 

 mercial plantings in the past, however, and thousands of dollars and 

 much valuable time have been wasted for each variety. - Breeding and 

 accidental discovery are responsible for varieties, but climate and 

 soil determine the commercial importance of the product. Of these 

 two powerful factors, climate has hitherto been stressed most, and 

 while no one will assert it is not the controlling influence in the lati- 

 tudinal distribution of fruits, yet in the same latitude where the 

 climate is uniform, this factor can not be said to account for the 

 wide diflference observed in the character and development of different 

 varieties of the same species of fruit. 



The soil has always received a passing consideration as a factor 

 associated with the food and water supply of fruits, but further steps 

 •of scientific study have been difficult because of our limited knowledge 

 of the various lands of soil present in any region. Furthermore, 

 when soil influences were noted in the past, it was difficult to obtain 

 proper correlations and scientific reasoning along these lines, because 

 the limits of certain soil characteristics were not outlined and little 

 progress could be made. 



We are noAV coming to realize more fully that the soil is the funda- 

 mental basis of fruit culture. It is the medium in which the organic 

 and inorganic kingdoms meet. In it. biochemical forces are in active 

 operation under normal conditions and the resultant of these forces in 

 connection with the physical properties of the soil, furnishes the en- 

 vironment in which plant life must develop. It is the medium in 

 which plant roots must receive their food and drink, and it is not 

 unreasonable to suppose that when a plant has become accustomed to 

 receiving its nourishment in a definite manner, that its functions will 

 be upset and it will have to suffer a readjustment when that supply 

 of food is greatly increased or diminished, or when radical changes 

 occur in the physical properties of the .soil. 



