348 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[November, 



Lucrative for Belle Lucrative, and Nelis for Win- 

 ter Nelis. Pomologists may differ as to how far 

 the reform should be carried, but by comparision 

 of views they will come to a final agreement. 



I desire especially to enforce upon nurserymen 

 the duty of aiding in this reform, by revising their 

 catalogues so as to correspond with the improved 

 nomenclature. Horticultural and pomological as- 

 sociations have thus far been our most powerful 

 auxiliaries in this good work, but they do not 

 come in contact with the people at so many points 

 as the nurserymen whose catalogues are distributed 

 broadcast over the land, and 1 would especially 

 appeal to the many honorable representatives of 

 this profession here assembled, to give us their 

 hearty cooperation until the work is accomplished. 

 Let us push on the work so constantly and vigor- 

 ously while we live, that future generations, seeing 

 its advantages, shall avoid the evils we have en- 

 countered, and shall enjoy the benefits of the im- 

 proved system, and look back with gratitude to us 

 for our labors. 



PRODUCTION OF NEW FRUITS. 



And now in fulfillment of my promise to urge 

 upon you while I live, the importance of producing 

 from seed, new improved varieties of fruits, adap- 

 ted to the various soils and climates of our vast 

 territory, I have substantially to repeat what I 

 have said in my former addresses. These are the 

 means, and the only means, which God and nature 

 have provided for the improvement of our fruits, 

 and the belter we understand and practise them 

 the nearer shall we approach to that divine bene- 

 ficence which gives tlavor and richness to our 

 fruits, and to the senses the highest types of 

 beauty, grace, and gratification. 



Thus from time to time I have spoken to you, 

 and, were these my last words, I would again im- 

 press them upon you as of the utmost importance. 

 With a careful study of the tendency of varieties, 

 and a judicious selection of parents, as breeders, 

 we shall go on to produce fruits which will be 

 adapted to every climate or condition of our land 

 where any species of fruit may be grown. When 

 we see what nature has done without the aid of 

 manipulation — in the cold regions of the North, 

 as in Russia, from whence came the Oldenburg and 

 Tetoftsky apples, the Black Tartarian cherry, and 

 other good fruits, as seen by Professor Budd and 

 Mr. Charles Gibb, who can doubt our ability to 

 produce fine fruits even in the colder regions of 

 our country ? 



When we consider that the art of crossing varie- 

 ties for their improvement was scarcely known 



until our day, and see what wonders have been 

 accomplished by it, who can doubt that we may 

 yet produce a pear with the richness of the Seckel, 

 the form and size of the Bosc, and the vigor and 

 productiveness of the Boussock. And so we may 

 go on to improve other fruits, until all shall be 

 made as perfect as ever were grown by " the grand 

 old gardener" in Eden. But to do this we must 

 study the characteristics of varieties, and thus help 

 nature to perfect this work. 



Thus Providence has placed in the hands of man 

 a power to assist nature in the production of her 

 most perfect and beautiful creations. And what- 

 ever some may think of variation, evolution, trans- 

 mutation, or transformation of species, the great 

 fundamental laws of life and its reproduction will 

 remain unchangeable and immutable as long as 

 the earth bears a plant, or a tree yields a fruit, or 

 nature holds her place in the universe. 



Nature is a kind handmaid, and, by her lovely 



creations, is constantly inviting us to come up and 



assist in her glorious conquests. Her voice is 



heard throughout the earth. To us, she says : 



" Come up and sit with me, and you shall have 



plenty and perfection. Come, and I will give you 



fruits which shall delight the eye, gratify the 



taste, and satisfy your souls." 



O ! Yes ! Thou (iueen of Grace, 

 We'll come and take thee at thy word ; 

 Wt! 11 take thee, Nature, as a bride, 

 And, hand in hand and side by side, 

 Uur loves and Labors we will join, 

 And bless the hand that gives us thine. 



We have now many excellent varieties of fruits 

 from foreign lands which are suited to many of 

 the soils and climates of our country. But when 

 we reflect upon the number that have proved 

 worthless, and are not suited to our condition, and 

 consider the large number of good American sorts 

 that have already been raised, we are forced to 

 the conclusion that we must, hereafter, rely mainly 

 on the production of new varieties from seed to 

 supply the necessary kinds for our constantly in- 

 creasing territory for fruit culture. We therefore 

 rejoice in the great interest which has been 

 awakened in this subject, so that what was a few 

 years ago considered by physiologists and philoso- 

 phers a mysterious art or science, is now practised 

 extensively by cultivators in the various families 

 of vegetable life. And now that we have the 

 knowledge of this art, there is no limit to its use 

 for the improvements we may desire. And, strange 

 as it may seem that the knowledge of this process 

 of helping nature was withheld from us until our 

 day, it is capable of indefinite application as 

 long as the sexes of plants shall be known, and is 



