498 Introduction to the Study of Science 



another, but allied species. This has been done with remarkable 

 success in a few instances, such as crossing blackberry and 

 raspberry, one product of which is the loganberry. It may 

 succeed with certain flowering plants, as geranium, narcissus, 

 gladiolus, and certain lilies. The result is generally a failure ; 

 but if successful, such a variety must be propagated by bulbs 

 or buds. What may be done in this field no one knows and 

 only trials can reveal. 



240. Selection and propagation of sports. The seeds of 

 many of the common plants grow in general true to kind, 

 though in order to secure the best results seed must be selected 

 from plants having the most desirable characteristics. The 

 plants grown from seed include, among others, wheat, rye, 

 barley, corn, onion, turnip, radish, beet, pea, bean, and many 

 annual flowering plants. But there is a group of plants which 

 do not as a general rule grow true to seed and are therefore 

 seldom propagated from seed. Of these may be mentioned 

 the potato, strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, currant, grape, 

 and most fruit trees. These have other ways of reproduction, 

 as by shoots or suckers, root stalks, runners, and so on. 



Seedlings. Seeds of plants of the latter group are sometimes 

 planted for the sake of possible variations of value, " sports " 

 they are often called. The usual seedlings of such plants are 

 inferior to the parent plant, e.g. seedlings from the Bartlett 

 pear reverting to an ancestral type with fruit that is small and 

 flavorless. But what may be produced is quite uncertain, as 

 the following instance shows. Peter M. Gideon of Minnesota 

 desired to grow an apple tree that would be adapted to the 

 climate and soil of the region and bear in abundance fruit of 

 the finest quality. He planted hundreds of apple seeds and 

 rejected hundreds of seedlings before he found one that gave 

 promise of value. It proved to be what he desired. The seed- 

 ling yielded stems or scions for grafting and was thus propa- 

 gated until it has been widely distributed over the state. The 

 Wealthy apple has, it is estimated, increased the wealth of the 



