SOME POSSIBILITIES. 



261 



SWEET PEAS. 



In its native habitat, the sweet pea is the tallest grower of the numerous 

 genus of Lathyrus, and, where growth is slow, and climate moist, its period 

 ■of flowering is much longer than where the seasons are short and the atmo- 

 sphere rare with high temperature. But the law of reproduction is always 

 understood and respected, and in obedience to command, it adapts itself to 

 Avhatever situation in which it may be placed. 



In the short seasons of Northern New York, and in the heavy clay soil, 

 with seasons of heat and drought, in order to produce the required number of 

 seeds, growth had to be curtailed, and the season of flowering m.ade shorter ; 

 the result was that all its flowers were produced nearly at the same time, 

 which makes the plant far more effective and useful as a florist's flower. This 

 is shown in the Blanche Ferry and the dwarf varieties, now becoming common, 

 to be the result of the plant's adaptation to its environments. 



CABBAGE. 



The cabbage in cold climates adds an additional number of leaves to its 

 heart, and the colder the climate the greater the number, and the more compact 

 their arrangement. While nature is protecting her own, she at the same time 

 provides for other creations, worthy objects of her care. 



Seed grown here, if taken to a warmer climate, in one generation produces 

 soft heads, simply because greater protection is unnecessary for purposes of 

 reproduction. 



RUTA BAGA. 



The same is true of the ruta baga. In climates where the roots can be 

 left in the field, they invariably produce large, long necks, which are thickly set 

 with buds that will in due time develop the stalks and branches that yield the 

 seed. On Long Island, N. Y., the tendency of the root is to grow globular in 

 shape, and with a little care in selection will become nearly a perfect globe. 

 There is a type that does not show a particle of neck, and when taken up upon 

 the approach of winter, nearly every leaf drops off^, so there is no necessity for 

 cutting the tops before trenching. This feature is more noticeable when they 

 are grown in light, sandy soil. 



These changes, constantly going- on, have made in almost every genus of 

 plants, many types so entirely different in form and habit, from the parent, as 

 to constitute them distinct species. Certainly, the bush lima bean, of the 

 potato type, and the large, flat variety of twining habi, if found indigenous in 

 the same locality, would, by an^ one with authority to define species, been 

 given distinctive specific names. 



There are as many types of vegetables as latitudes in which they are 

 grown, and these will be more or less modified by the character of tho soil in 

 which they are grown. And it is not as arbitrary as we have been taught to 

 suppose. 



Having shown that many, if not most, of the changes in vegetable forms 

 have been made necessary for self-preservation, when growing under changed 

 climatic conditions, and also that these changes were along the lines of evolu- 

 tion, to enable them to live in harmony with other creations, we will now 

 briefly consider, what is generally supposed the most important element in 

 plant breeding or plant development, viz. : 



