172 ANNUAL REPORT 



tree. It may be, as to quality of fruit and other desirable char- 

 acteristics, a great improvement upon its immediate progeni- 

 tors; yet it is an apple, nevertheless. 



We call this a variety. Varieties of a marked character re- 

 sult, as shown above, from the ameliorating tendencies of what 

 we call domestication. 



If, therefore, we plant seeds, we multiply varieties of the 

 species to which the seeds belong. 



These new varieties do not all prove to be better in the desir- 

 able qualties than were the parents. Indeed, with all our arts 

 and skill, it is only the rare exception that rewards our labors 

 with satisfaction, while the "ninety and nine" may show de 

 cided tendencies to degeneracy, for nature is ever struggling 

 against us. 



It will be seen, therefore, how uncertain, even after securing a 

 valuable variety, are we in its possession, as with the growth or 

 decay of the original tree or plant would come the certain loss 

 of our favorite variety. But here again art comes to the rescue; 

 as with the slow but steady advance of knowledge and skill in 

 the production of desirable varieties comes also our skill in their 

 perpetuation and multiplication either by natural or artificial 

 propagation, for while we can only propagate a species by plant- 

 ing the seeds, we propagate a variety by other and often purely 

 artificial means. 



There are classes of fruits and plants which we cultivate and 

 admire that, when established in a distinct or desirable variety,. 

 are self-propagating. To this class belong the strawberry and 

 raspberry: the one through its runners or off-shoots, the other 

 by tips and suckers. These and many others propagate in thia 

 way, and rapidly, without artificial means, while the gooseberry 

 and currant, and many other of our small fruits, shrubs, etc., are 

 self-propagating, but, unaided by art, are less rapid in their 

 multiplication. With some we practice layering as a means of 

 extension; others we propagate by cuttings, and there are yet 

 others with which we must resort to even more difficult and 

 strictly artificial methods, such as budding and grafting, if we 

 would enjoy a continuation of a desirable variety; and there are 

 still others which require even greater skill and ingenuity, with 

 appliances and fixtures rendering their propagation crittcal and 

 expensive. 



Bat Nature has placed bounds and limits, beyond which we 

 cannot go. While we may materially change the habits of a 



