THE CROSS-BREEDING &C. OF PEAS AND OF HARDY FRUITS. 473 
habit of growth being a “dominant” character, and we may find that 
the smaller number of better growth are true recessives in this character 
in the second generation. The great difficulty in following out the 
Mendelian characters in these hardy fruits arises from the fact that at 
least five years must elapse from sowing to fruiting each generation ; and 
from the fact that fruit trees occupy much space, the expense of raising 
twenty or thirty seedlings from each seedling in the second generation to 
test Mendelian characters may be imagined. 
The same remarks apply generally to Plums. We have, however, 
fruited the following crosses, and give a brief description of the results :— 
Victoria x Sultan = Yellow plum, something like ‘ Jefferson,’ of good 
flavour. 
Sultan x Early Prolific = Shape and colour of ‘ Prince of Wales,’ but 
larger, and of good flavour. 
Monarch x Pershore = Small yellow plum; this looked like a good 
cross “on paper’’; but the seedling is quite valueless. 
‘Greengage x Sultan = Small, black plum ; valueless. 
Grand Duke x Czar = Large, very early, black, and of good flavour. 
Finally, I must say that considering the time, labour, and expense 
involved, the raising of new and improved varieties is, for a nursery- 
man, a slow and disappointing process, and commercially unprofitable, 
and I shall hail with delight the time when the workers in Mendel’s 
footsteps can direct us how to attain the desired result by a less laborious, 
and quicker route. 
