THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. 



I have already referred to the functions of the different organs of the 

 flower in the seed formation. All these various and varied functions of 

 the different parts of the plant belong to the science of horticulture, and, 

 as I have already said, while the work of the art of horticulture may go 

 on by established methods without a knowledge of these scientific facts, 

 no probability of advancement can be had without the application of the 

 knowledge I have described, so that the great ideal of horticulture in the 

 attainment of the highest possible production demands a knowledge of all 

 these departments of natural science. Indeed, in this brief notice nothing 

 like all of the scientific principles have been stated. 



We come now to the practice of the art of horticulture. A large por- 

 tion of this is dependent upon experience. Experience is the resultant 

 of the rule that " what has been may be," and since in practice it has been 

 found that certain things result from certain procedure, we continue to 

 practice established methods. Large improvements may sometimes be 

 made by finding that some change in procedure results in a benefit and, 

 conversely, other changes result in injury. In the application of scientific 

 principles in the practice of horticulture the best results are obtained. 



The divisions of horticulture are those embracing flowers, vegetables 

 and fruits. In practice, these are distinct, though all three are often 

 carried on in the same garden. I myself have a house in which all three 

 are carried on together today. The three are not now carried on together 

 in outdoor gardens so much as formerly, as it is found to be better to 

 grow flowers, vegetables and fruits each by themselves. It is much more 

 common to see them growing together in English gardens today than in 

 this country. 



There is one quite serious injury resulting from modern methods of 

 seed distribution through the seed trade. Before this trade was so de- 

 veloped as it is at the present time, gardeners were much more dependent 

 upon the production of their own seed. This stimulated a great interest 

 in the selection of the very finest specimens for seed production, and not 

 infrequently in important experiments in seed production by cross fertiliza- 

 tion or hybridization. I can myself remember the great care practiced in 

 gardens of my own home some sixty years ago, when all flowers grown 

 from seed were carefully examined for the types most desired, and also 

 specimens of vegetables that met the grower's ideal were carefully pre- 

 served for seed. Here was a practical ideal of horticulture for which 

 there is now but little opportunity. It is very much easier to make up 

 our list of seeds for our flowers or vegetables and send them to the great 

 " omnium gatherum " of the modern seed store. Occasionally we find, 

 even today, some true lover of the art of horticulture who still practices 

 the home production of seed. 



In considering the question of plants to be grown in any flower garden, 

 the temptation is very great to confine ourselves to such as produce the 

 most showy flowers, but it is often the case that plants of the very greatest 

 interest produce inconspicuous flowers. Some plants, of course, such as 



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