POSSIBILITIES OF ECONOMIC BOTANY. 209 



forms indicating this tendency to tlie correlated changes, we may 

 succeed in obtaining important additions to our seedless or nearly 

 seedless plants. Whether the ultimate profit would be large 

 enough to pay for the time and labor involved is a question which 

 we need not enter into ; there appears to me no reasonable doubt 

 that such efforts would be successful. There is no reason in the 

 nature of things why we should not have strawberries without 

 the so-called seeds ; blackberries and raspberries, with only deli- 

 cious pulp ; and large grapes as free from seeds as the small 

 ones which we call " currants," but which are really grapes from 

 Corinth. 



These and the coreless apples and pears of the future, the stone- 

 less cherries and plums, like the common fruits before mentioned, 

 must be propagated by bud division, and be open to the tendency 

 to diminished strength said to be the consequence of continued 

 bud-propagation. But this bridge need not be crossed until we 

 come to it. Bananas have been perpetuated in this way for many 

 centuries, and pineapples since the discovery of America, so that 

 the borrowed trouble alluded to is not threatening. First we 

 must catch our seedless fruits. 



Which of our wild fruits are promising subjects for selection 

 and cultivation ? 



Mr. Crozier, of Michigan, has pointed out * the direction in 

 which this research may prove most profitable. He enumerates 

 many of our small fruits and nuts which can be improved. 



Another of our most careful and successful horticulturists 

 believes that the common blueberry and its allies are very suit- 

 able for this purpose and offer good material for experimenting. 

 The sugar^plum, or so-called shadbush, has been improved in many 

 particulars, and others can be added to this list. 



But again we turn very naturally to Japan, the country from 

 which our gardens have received many treasures. Referring once 

 more to Prof. Georgeson's studies,! we must mention the varieties 

 of Japanese apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, and persim- 

 mons. The persimmons are already well known in some parts of 

 our country under the name " kaki," and they will doubtless make 

 rapid progress in popular favor. 



The following are less f amilar : Actinidia arguta and volubilis, 

 with delicious berries ; 



Sfaunfonia, an evergreen vine yielding a palatable fruit ; 



Mijrica rubra, a small tree with an acidulous, juicy fruit ; 



ElcBagnus umhellata, with berries for preserves. 



The active and discriminating horticultural journals in America 

 and Europe are alive to the possibilities of new Japanese fruits, 



* American Garden, New York. 1890-'91. f Ibid. 1891. 



VOL. XL. — 17 



