30 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. 



The Chair: Considering the great amount of work that has been done with hybrfds, 

 and also what will unquestionably yet be done, it is very important that there should 

 be a system. This subject of classification becomes very important in this connection. 

 Perhaps it would be well if the Secretary would read again the classification proposed 

 by Air. Lynch. 



That part of the paper was read again by the Secretary. 



The Chair: This classification appears \o be based entirely upon behavior, and not 

 upon scientific or botanical characteristics. 



L. H. Bailey: I think that the first important thing for us to do is to determine 

 upon a definition of the term hybrid. There are two notions current regarding what is a 

 hybrid and what is not, and, of cotirse, both ideas are correct so far as the matter of 

 definition is concerned. There are those who think that the term hybrid should be 

 restricted to crosses between pure species. Every one knows, of course, that this is 

 merely arbitrary, as, in fact, true species are arbitrary. It has seemed to some (and 1 

 am one of those) that if it is important to recognize species, it is also important to 

 recognize hybrids as crosses between species. I still believe in the righetousness of that 

 cause, but I have come to the conclusion that we cannot hold to that distinction. The 

 reason why we cannot hold to that distinction is a matter of usage, for all language 

 comes to be governed finally by usage. Here is the work of Mendel coming into notice, 

 and the work of Bateson, and of De Vries, and of others abroad, and also our own 

 people who are making progress, as, for example, those in the Department of Agri- 

 culture. In all these works actual things are being done and actual records are being 

 made, and not mere talk being indulged in about them, and we find the use of the word 

 hybrid in its large sense. I am willing now to use the word hybrid in the more general 

 sense, and then distinguish the different classes of hybrids in as many divisions as you 

 wish— species hybrids, variety hybrids, form hybrids, and so on. Now I don't understand 

 from Mr. Lynch's paper what is his fundamental conception of a hybrid; and that is 

 fundamental to a classification. 



W. JI. Hays: It would be a good thing if we had some central place to which we 

 could all send detailed facts as to the ease with which species and genera hybridize, that 

 these facts might be available to those who in future want to use certain crosses to 

 produce economic or scientific results. I feel that in many cases we go ahead and do a 

 lot of experimenting where it is almost, or quite, an impossibility to produce hybrids. If 

 we knew better the work of others we would not expend so much labor. We need not 

 only to know what will hybridize and what will not, but also in many cases to know how 

 easy or how difficult it is to hybridize certain things. 



H. H. Groff: All this leads back into my former statement: That there are two 

 classes of workers — one engaged in finding out the how and why, the other looking for 

 the practical results. The suggestion before us is very good for those who want to find 

 out the true inwardness of things; but, as a practical worker for final results (anS in 

 this I believe I am supported again by Mr. Burbank, who no longer keeps records of 

 this character), I know the volume of work makes it absolutely impossible to make 

 such records. 



W. J. Spillman: I agree fully with Professor Hays that it is a matter of very 

 great importance to the practical producer of new and valuable varieties that he should 

 have as much knowledge as possible as to where crosses may be made and the details 

 of the methods that must be used to secure successful crosses. There ought to be some 

 organization by which data of this kind could be collected. For instance, if we knew 

 the crosses that Mr. Groflf had effected, it would possibly save a great many of us a 

 great deal of useless labor, because somebody else has done that certain work. It would 

 save us a great many disappointments. If we knew, for instance, that he had found it 

 possible to cross two certain varieties, or two species, or two genera, it would be of 

 great value. I want to add one remark, too, to what Professor Bailey has very well 

 said. I don't see how we can ever use the term hybrid in its general sense, because 

 there are hybrids that are more widely separated even than general. 



H. H. Groff: Local experience and climatic conditions are to be taken into con- 

 sideration. Mr. Leichtlin, of Baden-Baden, has told me that he had failed with some 

 types both as male and female parents which, on the contrary, I had found fertile both 

 ways. I attributed it to climatic conditions. 



