272 Nebraska State Horticultural Society. 



characters in plant and animal breeding, and when it is intensified 

 by conscious or unconscious selection as in Fameuse, Mcintosh, Wine 

 Sap, and like apples, and these are used as the pollinating variety, it is 

 nearly impossible to get away from their impress. Distinct and 

 beautiful colors will hereafter be a marked feature in our efforts ia 

 breeding the apple. 



Twnty-nine years ago it was my fortune to secure a cross be- 

 tween the Native Soulard Crab and a Pippin apple; as nearly as I am 

 able to learn, I believe it to have been the Vermont Pippin; this cross- 

 is without doubt the first one ever originated between Pyrus Con-onari 

 and our cultivated apple. In form and color it is much like the parent 

 Pippin, the best specimens being from 2 1^ to 3 V^ inches in diameter. 

 While considerable of the quality of the wild crab remains, it has a 

 persistent sweet after taste. This hybrid has again been crossed, and 

 the result is an apple of much finer texture and quality. Much inter- 

 est was added to this experiment at that time by the fact that, after 

 repeated trials by Mr. George P. Peffer of Wisconsin, he concluded 

 that such crosses could not be made. From a letter now in my pos- 

 session, Prof J. L. Budd had a like experience, not having been able 

 to secure a perfect seed in numerous crosses with the Soulard, many 

 specimens of which showed a marked resemblance in outward size and 

 appearance to the Roman Stem apple with which it was crossed. 



Doubtless reverses and disappointments are the common heri- 

 tage of the experimenter, and perhaps one ought to be satisfied with 

 having produced one fruit which is adding untold thousands to the 

 wealth of the region in which he lives; but when he sees several others 

 of his productions, which by their superior merits are displacing the 

 older sorts he should be doubly happy. 



Of the Grimes Golden and Patten Greening, crosses which have 

 been exhibited during the last season and of which I have a few speci- 

 mens here, I con only say that it is yet too early to say more than that 

 some of them present features of marked value. 



In conclusion I wish to present for your consideration some 

 photographic views of sections of four-year-old cross-fertilized trees 

 of apple and pear. These views seem to show a marked segregating 

 power of the male parent, in fixing the form and size of the seedlings. 

 The first is the Collins or Champion, crossed on Malenka, a small 

 Russian, very upright grower. Those of you who are acquainted 

 with the Collins will readily see the force of the comparison. Seven 

 of the nine seedlings are more than twice as large as a four-year 

 Malenka, with three times as many limbs, and a distinctly different 



