240 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF V NE\V YORK. 



discovered another Cupid Pink, or Blanche Ferry. We crossed both, as 

 well as crossing numerous tall varieties, which seemed to break up the 

 strains, and while frequently we would not find any Cupids from such 

 crosses for some years, they were all apt to throw Cupids even though we 

 planted the seed of tall ones. We now have Cupids of every variety that exists 

 in the tall sorts, or more than one hundred. 



We saved the first Bush in 1895, although we had seen them before and 

 had not tried to do anything with them. We began crossing, and now have 

 no less than fifty different colors in the Bush. We have ourselves sent out 

 twenty-five tall Sweet Pea novelties, introducing most of them through 

 W. Atlee Burpee & Co., of Philadelphia. 



Sweet Peas must be crossed when the bud is quite young before any 

 pollen has caught on the pistil. We have done most of our work by simply 

 taking all the stamens off the plant to be crossed and bringing new pollen to 

 it, although some claim that we should mix the pollen of the plant itself 

 with the new one. 



The first year after the seed of the cross is planted it is very apt to 

 show a very inferior reversion to old pink or white, or an inferior red, white 

 or purple. The plants, however, planted again the second year begin to show 

 new strains. This is not always so, since sometimes we get a handsome 

 flower the first year, but it is never a fixed type, and the year following i? 

 sure to break. 



The majority of novelties, however, are not developed by cross-fertiliza- 

 tion, but by selection. There is always something a little different from its 

 fellows in any field of plants, and a selection can be developed to create a 

 considerable change. 



The Morse Lettuce is a selection of white seeding plants out of Black 

 Seeded Simpson and then developed for a hardier variety. Pink Prizetaker 

 Onion is a selection out of the common Yellow Prizetaker, and so on. In 

 developing stocks this way we always keep each plant separate, as some 

 plants will produce their kind and others will not do so, and if they are mixed 

 we might never be able to get a fixed stock. In one strain of Sweet Pea, for 

 instance, this year we have 270 individual selections, and we have had as 

 high as 305. 



On all of the standard Onions, Lettuces and Carrots we make an extra 

 selection of one hundred plants, roots or bulbs, and from this hundred we 

 save ten individuals and mix the other ninety. Out of the ten individuals 

 we choose one for a breeder, and then carry the work on again from that 

 with our hundreds and tens. This is to breed up a pure stock. 



In breeding novelties it is very important that one has a large trial 

 ground so as to try stocks from other sources. We have seen a good many 

 people enthusiastic over something that was new to them, though it was 

 not a novelty. 



We believe that nearly all vegetables or flowers can be developed along 

 certain natural lines purely by process of selection we mean that they can 

 be made early or late, large or small by this method. 



Crossing and hybridizing is very slow and discouraging work. We have 

 never done very much of it in vegetables except to try it in Salsify. We 

 have tried it somewhat in Sunflowers, Hollyhocks and Centaureas, but 

 without success so far. C. C. MORSE & Co., 



Per Lester L. Morse, Pres. and Mgr. 



The most noteworthy hybrid I have raised is the Canna Mrs. Kate Gray, 

 This canna was raised at Alhambra in the summer of 1896. Italia was 

 the seed-bearing parent crossed with the pollen from Madam Crozy, the 

 pollen from the leaf stamen being used. One seed was obtained, and since 

 that time neither Italia nor Mrs. Kate Gray can be induced with me to perfect 

 seed. 



