PLANT BREEDING IN CANADA. 



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with the gooseberry, red and white currant, black currant, raspberry, black- 

 berry, grape, apple, pear, plum, cherry, Sand cherry, Japanese quince, rose and 

 barberry. Also with different sorts of wheat, barley, oats, peas and rye, and 

 with several species of flowers. 



METHODS OF WORK. 



Before referring to these in further detail reference will be made to some 

 of the methods employed in carrying on these diiferent lines of work. 



In the breeding of plants the term cross-bred is used when referring to 

 the crosses produced between different varieties of the same species, and the 

 word hybrid when referring to new forms obtained by crossing such plants 

 as are generally regarded as distinct species. 



The results obtained from efforts at crossing or hybridizing depend much 

 on the care taken in conducting the operation. In a general way, however, it 

 is believed by many experimenters that crosses in fruit inherit their constitu- 

 tion largely from the female, while the quality and flavor are, it is thought, 

 much influenced by the other sex. 



The tools required in cross-breeding are few ; but a steady hand has an 

 important bearing on the success of the work. The following includes all 

 that are needed to supplement the human hand : A pair of finely pointed for- 

 ceps ; some camel hair pencils ; paper and gauze bags large enough to enclose 

 the branches on which the blossoms to be worked are situated ; twine for 

 tying these bags in place, and a few wired labels to attach to the branches, 

 on which the number of the cross or other particulars may be written. 



In choosing flower buds to work on, all those which are partially open 

 should be rejected, also those which are very immature, the aim being to 

 work on those which are so far advanced as to be nearly ready to open. 

 Having chosen the flowers to be operated on, remove carefullv with the finely 

 pointed forceps the floral envelopes, calyx and corolla, without bruising or 

 otherwise injuring the internal organs. The stamens with their anthers are 

 then torn away, leaving the pistil or pistils exposed. When all the flowers 

 selected have been thus prepared they are at once enclosed in a paper bag, 

 which is tied to the branch, until pollen from the other variety to be used in 

 the cross can be secured. 



In obtaining pollen of the apple, pear, plum, cherry, strawberry, black- 

 berry, gooseberry, etc., it can generally be had in sufficient quantities, and 

 often in abundance, if branches well furnished with blossom buds which arc 

 just about to open are cut and placed in a vessel of water in a sunny place in- 

 doors. The anthers usually discharge their pollen in the morning, and by 

 lightly pinching them between the finger and thumb, where the skin is usually 

 moist enough to cause the pollen to adhere, the fertilizing powder can be 

 seen in small patches on the surface, and, with care, can be transferred by 

 the hand to the flowers awaiting fertilization. Where one depends on ob- 

 taining pollen from flowers outside it will often be found that bees and 

 other insects have preceded the hybridist, and in their efforts to gather 

 nectar from the flowers the anthers have been so knocked about that much 

 of the pollen has been scattered. If the variety from which it is desired to 

 obtain the pollen is later in blooming than the individual to be crossed, the 

 opening of the blossoms may be hastened by cutting small branches well 



