PACKAGES, TRAINING, POLLINATION 101 



time were really hermaphrodite. After examining his 

 own stock of plants, Hovey admitted the contention of 

 Longworth, and stated that part of his plants were pis- 

 tillate and part staminate. The next year, however 

 (1843), Hovey completely reversed himself, and declared 

 positively : ^ " We believe it is now generally the received 

 opinion by all intelligent cultivators that there is no ne- 

 cessity of making any distinction in regard to the sexual 

 character of the plants when forming new beds. The 

 idea of male and female flowers, first originated, we be- 

 lieve, by Mr. Longworth, of Ohio, is now considered as 

 exploded. That there may be fertile and sterile beds is 

 not denied, but the cause of their sterile character is to 

 be sought, not in a naturally defective organization of 

 the blossom, but rather in the mode of cultivation applied 

 to the plants." He considered "repletion," or too much 

 nourishment, a cause of sterility, and cited beds of Hovey 

 which were barren under high culture, trenching and 

 heavy manuring, that became productive when neglected. 

 He concluded : " Cultivation, alone, creates sterile, or 

 fertile, plants." 



Fortunately, Longworth was a gentleman with a pug- 

 nacious regard for his own convictions, and no respecter of 

 authority. Not even Hovey's reference to "intelligent" 

 cultivators was needed to incite him to battle. The 

 issue was raised, and the controversy began. It was 

 waged with much heat from 1842 to 1848 and harmony 

 was not fully restored for several years thereafter. Long- 

 worth and the loyal Cincinnati Horticultural Society 

 stood boldly against Hovey, Downing, Meehan and prac- 

 tically all other prominent horticulturists, both in Amer- 

 ica and in Europe. One can imagine the feelings of 

 1 Mag. Hon., 9 (1843), p. 415. 



