THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



compatible in fertilization to the point of producing fruit. The 

 characteristics of a variety in all these particulars should be fully 

 determined before it is distributed and widely planted. 



The four groups of horticultural problems briefly outlined above 

 are those that are peculiar to vegetative propagation and to the 

 growing of clonal varieties in solid blocks. They refer in part to 

 the special problems of the nurserymen in their efiforts to develop 

 and to use the best methods of propagation and of maintaining 

 varieties true to type ; they refer to critical problems in fruit pro- 

 duction which the grower frequently meets when he plants a 

 clonal variety in solid blocks, and they refer to certain important 

 phases in the breeding of new varieties for the quality of self- 

 fruitfulness. 



Clonal propagation now plays an important part in horticulture. 

 It is destined to increase in importance. With due regard to their 

 respective responsibilities, the breeders of horticultural plants, the 

 nurserymen who propagate them for the trade, and the orchardists 

 who grow these plants for their products can speed the day 

 when the clonal variety presents no serious defect or at least gives 

 rise to no problems that are not met. 



78 



