154 NEBRASKA STATE IIOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



PEDIGREED NURSERY STOCK. 

 Prof. S. A. Beach, Ames, Iowa. 



The pedigree question is being much discussed by some nurserymen 

 and fruit growers. 



What is there in it? Do plant pedigrees have the significance which 

 some attach to them? Is it of any advantage to the fruit grower to set 

 out pedigree strawberries, pedigree grapes, pedigree peaches or pedigree 

 apples? Is there any such thing after all as a pedigree Baldwin apple 

 or a pedigree Crescent strawberry, or a pedigree plant of any cultivated 

 variety which is not propagated from seed? 



Before entering upon the discussion of this question it is well to in- 

 quire what is the proper meaning or use of the word pedigree. This 

 word has long been used by breeders of animals to signify a line of 

 descent from known ancestors. In such a case each individual is joined 

 by blood relationship to the two immediate parents and through them to 

 the four grandparents, eight great grandparents, etc. There certainly 

 can be no objection to a similar use of the word in speaking of plants. 

 However, in the popular discussions by nurserymen and fruit growers 

 above referred to the term plant pedigree is seldom used in this sense, 

 but is usually applied to plants which have been derived from one original 

 seedling plant by asexual propagation only, i. e. by scions, cuttings, etc. 

 At first thought one might be inclined to question whether such use of 

 the term pedigree is strictly accurate. The term "selected strain" would 

 express the idea correctly. But it is not our purpose to enter into con- 

 troversy over the meaning of these words. "A rose by any other name 

 would smell as sweet." Let us rather examine the ideas for which 

 they stand for the purpose of inquiring to what extent these ideas are 

 supported by the facts. 



Before entering upon the discussion of the subject before us it would 

 be well to define some of the terms which we shall find it convenient to 

 use. Reference has already been made to the fact that plants may be 

 propagated by two methods, the sexual and the asexual. 



The sexual method of reproduction results in the development of the 

 seed. When the seed germinates it forms a new plant. The seed is 

 formed as a result of the fertilization of that portion of the flower which 

 is called the ovule or egg cell. If a flower from any of the common orchard 

 trees were examined it would be seen to consist of (1) small green leaves 

 on the outside or, underside of the open flower called the calyx; these 

 were the green outside leaves in the bud; (2) the showy leaves of the 

 flower called individually petals or collectively the corolla; inside of the 

 corolla are the essential organs of the flower. The calyx and the corolla 

 are not essential organs because it is possible for the blossom to develop 

 fruit even though these should be removed before i( opens; (3) the sta- 

 men is a slender, thread-like organ at the outer extremity of whcih is a mi- 

 nute sac, commonly yellow. The sacs are filled with a powder consisting of 

 juiiiute grains called pollen grains; (4) ihe center of the flower is occu- 



