President's Address. 153 



by far the greater portion had suifered only in a somewhat 

 less degree. And, as a further proof of the great difference 

 that exists in the growth as well as hardiness in the 

 different kinds of pear and apple trees, I may mention 

 tliat the late Patrick Matthew, Esq. of Gourdiehill, who 

 was the most extensive as well as best practically skilled 

 orchardist in the above named district, arranged his pear 

 and apple trees so that the finer and more delicate kinds 

 were protected from the northerly and easterly winds by 

 lines and masses of taller-growing and hardier sorts. 

 Similar, and in some instances even greater, diversity exists 

 in the hardiness of other fruit-bearing, as well as agricul- 

 tural, culinary, and florist plants. Thus among our cereal 

 grains, varieties are found much more suited for cold late 

 exposures than others. Some varieties of the common 

 turnip {Brassica Rapa), that yield the earliest as well as 

 bulkiest crops, have to be cleared off the fields even before 

 moderate frosts set in, while others are capable of with- 

 standing as much as 15° of frost. All are familiar with 

 the differences in length of time required for maturing the 

 many varieties of potato {Solanum tuberosum) ; and most 

 cultivators are aware that among the later ripening kinds 

 some have their foliage blackened by early frosts, while 

 that of others growing alongside or intermixed with them 

 remains fresh and green. But of all the plants that have 

 been long subjected to artificial, or, more correctly speaking, 

 cultural selection, none have produced in their varieties and 

 sub-varieties such diversity in forms and hardiness as the 

 Brassica oleracea, from which has been derived our 

 cabbages, kales, broccoli, cauliflower, &c., and the 

 original form of which is found on the southern shores of 

 Britain as well as on those of Southern Europe, but it has 

 no place in the Scandinavian flora, although its hardiest 

 varieties, under the names of Hussiau and Siberian kale, 

 are grown as far north in Europe and Asia as cultivation 

 extends, while the cauliflower, and even the Pomeranian 

 cabbage, require with us the winter protection of glass 

 structures. 



In regard to flowers that have been long reputed garden 

 favourites, the differences between them and their primitive 

 types, both in structure and hardiness, are so well known 



