HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 291 



The limits fixed by nature may be somewhat extended by artifi- 

 cial means and hybrids produced outside its common course, and 

 any deviation from the established order gives some promise — 

 perhaps one chance in a thousand — of progressive results. 

 Like produces like within certain well defined limits, so the pollen 

 which is used in establishing successful crosses should be taken 

 from those blossoms having the most pistils, the thickest ovar y 

 walls and most perfectly developed embryo receptacles. 



By some law of selection nature in certain cases obliterates in 

 the growing fruits superfluous parts which existed in flowers at 

 the time of blossoming and this can be effectively used in securing 

 the results we desire, but as a general rule our fleshy fruits — with 

 the exception of the apples which is formed mostly from the 

 calyx — are dependent for their perfection on the condition and 

 vigorous vitality of this position of the blossoms. While we endorse 

 the plausible theories of Darwin and assist nature in the evolution 

 and transmutation of species we many expect the survival of the fit- 

 tist will induce every variation in plant life without artificial aid to 

 revert towards its natural condition, the survival of the most vig- 

 orous to resist disease, enemies and the natural obstacles they en- 

 counter with no regard to their ability to contribute to the wants 

 of man. The ideal fruit will never be tha unaided product of na- 

 ture but the result of skillful artificial crossing in conformity 

 with God's great fundamental law of reproduction, which will re- 

 main unchangeable while plants grow and the elements of nature 

 perform their work. 



Adjourned sine die. 



