3l8 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



want of that class of nursery stock." Such experiences do not in- 

 jure the man alone but are a hindrance to the progress of good 

 horticulture and the spread of the enterprise. This only goes to 

 show that a man cannot be too careful in the use of foundation 

 stocks and scions. The individuals and varieties of fruits, flowers 

 and vegetables vary just as markedly and with as wide differences 

 as those of live stock or of grain crops, and if it pays the stockman 

 to give high prices for foundations for his herd and for subsequent 

 sires, or if it pays the farmer to secure the best selected seed, it will 

 also pay the horticulturist to secure the best stocks possible for the 

 foundations of his commercial product. A certain plum tree or a 

 certain apple tree may carry the inherited power to bear more fruit 



HYBRIDIZING WHEAT AT MINNESOTA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



The mixing of characters is often taken advantage of in order to enhance the variation 



between individuals. Better individuals than can be found in the parent 



varieties are often thus secured. 



■or more perfect fruit than any of its neighbors, or a certain branch 

 may always have better fruit than other branches of the same tree. 

 Nature has done her part ; it remains only for man to take advan- 

 tage of this bud variation and perpetuate the life and extent of this 

 tree or branch. Thus the select stock is secured, and once started 

 there is no end to the number of individuals that may be made. 



The breeding of plants with which a sexual reproduction is 

 possible is a very simple and rapid method of improvement. The 

 •elimination of the inferior individuals is made easy and the multi- 

 plication of the choice stocks is rapid. Returns may not come 

 <iirectly, but eventually the effect of good breeding will show- 

 As a practical pursuit every man engaged in the production of 

 plants, fruits or seeds should engage to a greater or less degree 

 in systematic methods of breeding. 



(Discussion in September number.) 



