324 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. IV. No. 4 



The tendency for the proportion of seedUngs of good quality to decrease 

 as we use parents of poorer quaUty shows clearly the importance of 

 breeding from varieties of only the highest excellence, and even then we 

 must be reconciled to a relatively small percentage of seedlings of good 

 quality. 



Practically every grape in the vineyards of the New York Station 

 which ranks high in quality possesses some blood of V. vinifera. A 

 moment's consideration of the history of the species shows us the reason 

 for this predominance. European grapes are centuries removed from 

 the wild and have been subjected to a more intense selection than any 

 other fruit; the "level of mediocrity" has been raised to such a point 

 that the species has become a powerful factor in transmitting high 

 quality. 



In this connection it is well to speak again of the future that lies ahead 

 of the breeder who will search out and use those varieties of this potent 

 species which blend best with our hardy native kinds. The ages of selec- 

 tion and breeding in Europe have developed varieties of this one species 

 adapted to nearly as wide a range of climate as is covered by all our 

 native species taken together. The proper selection of parents among 

 these should enable us greatly to extend and enrich our viticulture. 



A considerable proportion of the seedlings the results of whose cross- 

 ing are given in Table V are pure seedlings. These have been separated 

 and tabulated in Table VI. Comparing the percentage of those pure 

 seedlings which are good or above good in quality with the percentage 

 of the remaining similar cross-bred seedlings shows an interesting condi- 

 tion. The pure seedlings are uniformly poorer in quality than the 

 crossed seedlings. Is this due to the decrease in vigor which seems to 

 follow selfing, or is there some weightier reason ? 



Table VI. — Quality of pure seedlings of grapes 



Parental type. 



Very good X very good 



Good to very good X good to very good 



Good X good 



Medium X medium 



Poor X poor 



Total 



Good or 

 above 

 good. 



14 

 6 



2,2, 

 17 



70 



Types of progeny. 



Below 

 good. 



25 



26 



102 



147 

 31 



3i^ 



Total. 



39 

 32 



164 

 31 



401 



Percent- 

 age of 

 good or 

 above. 



36 

 19 

 24 

 10 



17 



Percent- 

 age of 

 crossed 

 seedlings 

 good or 

 above. 



47 

 34 

 25 

 17 



31 



