THE SUGAR PRUNE 



When I say that something like seven and a 

 half million seedlings of the plum have passed 

 under my hand and eye in the course of my many 

 series of experiments in the perfection of this 

 fruit, the reader will not wonder that there are 

 gaps in the record. 



DiFriciLTiEs Involved 



On the other hand, it must be understood that 

 there are almost numberless instances in which 

 the hybridizing of different strains of plums has 

 been effected by hand, in accordance with the 

 most rigid scientific methods, and accurately 

 recorded in my plan books. Indeed, this is true 

 in almost all cases of the first cross through which 

 a tendency to variation has been brought about. 



The first generation hj^brids are usually very 

 much alike, and inspection of them often gives no 

 clues to the ultimate results to be expected. But 

 in the next generation all the divergent character- 

 istics of both racial strains fight for representation, 

 and the diversity of forms produced may baffle 

 accurate description. 



Beyond this stage it is usually necessary for 

 the practical breeder to turn over the task of 

 cross-fertilization to the bees, contenting himself 

 with keeping a sharp outlook for seedlings that 

 show desired combinations of traits. 



How diversified these traits may be in case of 



[239] 



