REPORT OF THE SOCTEIT 49 



truly said that if proper scientific study was given the question of vegetable 

 seed production it could become a major agricultural industry. I presume 

 that what applies to British Columbia in this connection might also apply 

 to other areas in Canada. During the course of the campaign it became 

 necessary to study insects that were visiting the vegetable seed heads to deter- 

 mine what insects were mainly instrumental in the carrying of pollen and how 

 great a factor each respective insect was in this connection as a pollen carrier, 

 and what were the distances of flight of the strongest fliers. 



I have no intention of dealing with the pure plant breeder's point of view 

 at this time, for the reason that my knowledge on the subject is too incomplete. 

 It would not, however, be out of place to just briefly mention one or two 

 fundamental ideas which bear upon the question of the insect's relation to 

 seed production. In the first place I believe it is generally recognized that 

 close botanical relations should not be planted together or in close proximity 

 to each other. This applies just as much to plants of the same kind as it does 

 to its varieties, in view of the fact that it is impossible to produce pure strains 

 if more than one kind is in flower at the same time in the same immediate 

 neighborhood. Mangels, for instance, do not unite with turnips, carrots, 

 onions or parsnips but they will cross very readily with sugar mangels, garden 

 beets and chard. 



We accept the fact that floral parts are usually adapted for cross fertiliza- 

 tion and the resulting progeny is stronger and more virile as the result of cross 

 fertilization, but if cross fertilization fails self fertilization may occur. I 

 believe it is usually considered that the seed yield is commonly decreased 

 as the result of self fertilization. The common cabbage {Brassica oleracea) has 

 been shown, for example, to be capable of producing a great quantity of seed 

 capsules under either enclosed or open conditions but the actual quantity of 

 seed produced is much greater in the latter case than in the former. Pollen 

 prepotency, dominant and recessive characters, and such like questions are 

 familiar subjects to the plant breeder. They account for decreased yields of 

 seed and for the suppression or appearance of characters present in the parents. 

 A field of French breakfast radishes will set a greater amount of seed if uninter- 

 rupted cross pollination is permitted. If a large number of other kinds of 

 radishes, such as the White Icicle, are grown in the same field or in adjoining 

 plan rations the yield would not only depreciate but a great instability of 

 characters would become apparent in the progeny. The same applies to 

 mixed fields of drum-head and ball-head cabbages or any other crop where 

 mixed varieties are planted. It is quite clear that should one engage in the 

 production and sale of agricultural seed a good working knowledge of plant 

 relationships and genetics is not only important but actually necessary. We 

 are only concerned at this time, however, with the insect visitors to vegetable 

 seed heads and it is on this subject that we will confine our remarks. 

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