The following paper was read by T. V. Munson. 



ADVANTAGES OF CONJOINT SELECTION AND HY- 

 BRIDIZATION, AND LIMITS OF USEFULNESS 

 IN HYBRIDIZATION AMONG GRAPES 



By T. V. Munson, Denison, Tex. 



In this paper no attempt is made to prove its main propositions, which 

 are put forth in dogmatic form rather than inductive, in order to be brief, re- 

 ferring to Bulletin 5(i of the Texas Experiment Station in part for proof 

 and to the numerous seedling and hybrid grapes produced in the United 

 States and France in recent years, in which the parentage is known and 

 published in the various works upon grapes as further proof and illustration. 

 I also respectfully invite your attention to the photographs of species and 

 varieties of grapes I have placed in your exhibition hall. [This comprehen- 

 sive collection of photographs was afterwards presented to the New York 

 Botanical Garden. — Ed.] 



Before we can well proceed to present the subject we should have in 

 mind the object sought in improving grapes, which is, primarily, to get the 

 best possible fruit in greatest abundance. This includes two classes of special 

 considerations, namely: 



(a) To better the vine — 



rby better resisting disease. 



1. In length of life -{ by better enduring climatic extremes. 



[by better adaptation to soils. 



rby sure and abundant setting of crop. 



2. In productiveness-^ by capability of fully and evenly ripening. 



Ll)y persistence of berry to pedicel. 



(b) To better the fruit — 



1. In size of cluster and berry. 



2. In color and prunose bloom. 



3. In texture and quality of skin and pulp — 



(a) for table. 



(b) for wine. 



4. In number, size and freedom of seeds. 



5. In handling, carrying and keeping qualities. 



How may this complex object be obtained in the fullest degree? 



By sele.:tion alone? No; for it would require an immense number of 

 successive generations from an original parent to reach any great degree of 

 excellence in even a few of the above mentioned requirements, and that the 

 process of selection, alone, without crossing or hybridizing, becomes in and 

 in breeding, which invariably weakens vitality and lessens productiveness, as 

 seen in the Martha, Lady and many other pure seedling descendants of Con- 



