SEEDLINGS: THEIR INCEPTION, TREATMENT AND USES. 43 



after theirs were all gone. Then there are the small fruits that need 

 to be adapted to the northwest, raspberries and blackberries that 

 will not need covering. And so we might go on for an hour and 

 multiply the possibilities for improving fruit. 



Besides the fruits let us seek the possibilities to be attained in 

 improving our flowers. We go into ecstacies over the productions of 

 nature, and they are truly wonderful ; but shall not the mind lend 

 to nature its power in this, as in so many other ways, to improve 

 the varieties of the beautiful? Take, for example, the rose, ad- 

 mitted to be the queen cf flowers. Why not instil into its nature 

 a miore imperishable character so that its beauty and fragrance shall 

 not forsake us so soon? Then, too, we want a strain of hardiness 

 bred into its nature, something adapted to Minnesota and the north- 

 west. The wdld rose is hardy here. Why not give it the size, 

 beauty and fragrance of a Gen'l. Jacq. or an Ulrich Bruner? 

 Surely we may hope to do this when we consider what nature 

 unaided has accomplished. 



Then wc must miprove our nut-bearing trees, as well as to vary 

 the ornamental and shade trees. If Luther Burbank can improve 

 the black walnut of California by breeding it to the English walnut, 

 why may we not do the same by the black walnut of Minnesota? 

 As in the other classes I have mentioned, the opportunities seem 

 limitless. 



Turning to vegetables, I must leave your imagination to suggest 

 what may be done to our advantage. There is no doubt but that the 

 yield in vegetables may be increased and their keeping qualities 

 imtproved ; at least adaptation to the locality can be made a feature 

 for improvement. 



Underlying all that has been mentioned, there are from an 

 economic or financial standpoint much greater possibilities in the 

 field of agriculture. It is estimated that if in the United States we 

 should so improve our varieties of wheat and oats that we add one 

 grain to each head or one kernel of corn to each ear, we would in- 

 crease the value of the production $48,000,000 in each year. 



Having pointed out a few of the possibilities in seedlings, how 

 can we treat them to the best advantage to improve our conditions ? 

 There is, of course, the method that has been universally followed, 

 that of selection — as, for example, in fruits. Nature has carried 

 on the process of breeding without any definite or prescribed rules, 

 and as fast as we have noticed the results we have taken advantage 

 of any improvements she has made. Some progressive and enthusi- 

 astic horticulturists have gone to nature's assistance and helped to 

 control conditions so as lo greatly increase the value of their results, 

 but it has remained for Luther Burbank to take an advanced position 



