110 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[April, 



earlier than the original. The same effect will 

 be produced in an inverse ratio by selecting 

 seed from such as ripen latest. The potato 

 may also be changed in other respects by se- 

 lecting for seed the roundest or longest for a 

 succession of years, or select seed from stocks 

 that have tubers of most uniform size, or any 

 other desirable character, and a fixed type may 

 eventually be obtained of just what is desired. 

 When we glance over the great variety of shrubs 

 and flowers originated from sports, and estab- 

 lished as new varieties, which have by proper 

 selection for a term of years become fixed so as 

 to retain their identity, we must conclude that 

 from some cause nature is at times turned out 

 of its regular course in producing its like ; and 

 when once turned out, the stock or plant may 

 by designed selection for a series of years never 

 again resume its former character. 



This line of argument might be continued 

 indefinitely in the vegetable kingdom. The 

 laws which govern the animal kingdom are in a 

 great measure analagous to those which govern 

 the former. The changes and improvements 

 that have been made with domestic animals is 

 truly astonishing ; for instance with sheep, cat- 

 tle and hogs ; to accomplish which required 

 time, perseverence and judicious selection. 



We, as pomologists, must admit that although 

 much has been accomplished in our line, breed- 

 ers of domestic animals have made greater 

 strides in theirs. In animals, as in vegetables 

 and fruits, all the most desirable qualities have 

 never yet been produced in one individual. 

 The stock breeders who have aimed to produce 

 beef animals have established the Shorthorns. 

 Those who aimed for richest milk and butter 

 production, have their ideal in the Jerseys and 

 Guernseys ; while those who had in view milk 

 and cheese production, have established the 

 Holsteins and Ayreshires. At the same time 

 other fancy points in those breeds were sought 

 and obtained, and fixed types established. For 

 instance in the Durhams, roan or red colors and 

 small horns ; in the Jerseys, fawn or black colors, 

 black tongue and black wisp. In the Ayre- 

 shires the color must be white and brown, or 

 white and red; while the Holstein would be 

 ruled out as bogus if not strictly white and 

 black. Numerous other points have been bred 

 into fixed types by selection, and except an oc- 

 casional sport, with almost as much certainty as 

 a good mechanic will produce a desired piece 

 of furniture. If we could place some of the 



early specimens of cattle from which those im- 

 proved breeds have descended, side by side with 

 the latter, the contrast would be marked in- 

 deed ; or when we compare the ancient land- 

 shark or alligator hogs with the present Chester 

 Whites, Berkshires and Poland China pigs, the 

 resemblance is not at all striking. The former 

 were simply scavengers, just what nature in- 

 tended them to be, while the latter are almost 

 worthless for such purposes. Great progress 

 has been made in producing new fruits and 

 flowers by hybridization and cross fertilization, 

 which is however not altogether germain to the 

 question under consideration ; but that the graft 

 influences the root in nursery rows, every in- 

 telligent nurseryman knows. And that by 

 grafting upon large trees the reverse is some- 

 times shown will hardly be denied. If, then, 

 these are facts, may there not be other influ- 

 ences at work which we do not yet understand. 

 May not this continual grafting from non pro- 

 ducing trees weaken the fertility of the trees 

 thus grafted, that when they arrive at bearing 

 age, the least unfavorable conditions will injure 

 the fruit in its embryotic and early stages so as 

 to prevent its perfection. If we understood 

 all the laws which govern the animal and vege- 

 table kingdoms, they would no doubt develop 

 facts not dreamed of in our philosophy. 



THE FUTURE OF ASPARAGUS. 



BY GENL. WM. H. NOBLE, BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 



I lately gave voice through the Monthly to 

 sanguine hopes of better asparagus. I fondly 

 thought that, like other joyous helps which the 

 garden gives the table, asparagus might look 

 for a future of stoutness and stature, born of 

 chosen seed as well as heavy feeding. I dream- 

 ed of fat shoots, pushing not only out of the 

 deep richness of the bed, but swelling from 

 crowns, fathered by seed, the offspring of care- 

 ful crosses and choice. 



But alas, these were but the fancies of an in- 

 expert and parvenu. The horticultural heavy- 

 weights, high priests and judges have crushed out 

 my fond hopes. The Monthly's editor and 

 its British namesake have sat down hard upon 

 my little theory and flattened out its life. Me- 

 thinks I see their heads, full of judicial lore and 

 complacent dignity, nodding to each other over 

 this question of better asparagus. The elder 

 discoverer of the separate sexuality of asparagus, 

 speaks the opinion of the bench over its "ways 



