THE CHESTNUT 57 



strains in different ways. And for the next gen- 

 eration, I could combine different hybrids or in- 

 breed a given strain or introduce the traits of 

 any different variety chosen. 



All these methods were utilized, and in addi- 

 tion, of course, the usual method of rigorous 

 selection was employed, so that soon a colony of 

 chestnuts was developed, not only of the most 

 complicated ancestry, but also a carefully se- 

 lected colony in which none that did not show 

 exceptional traits of one kind or another had 

 been permitted to remain. 



PRECOCIOUS TRAITS 



Of the many rather striking peculiarities of 

 the new hybrids, doubtless the one that attracts 

 most general attention is the habit of precocious 

 bearing. 



From the outset these hybrids were urged to 

 early bearing, by the method of grafting and 

 selection, as already noted; and of course there 

 were saved for further purposes of experiment 

 only the individuals that were the most preco- 

 cious, if other good qualities predominated. 

 But, even so, I was not prepared to find some of 

 these seedlings bearing large nuts in abundance 

 in eighteen months from the time of planting 

 the seed. Yet such extraordinary precocity as 



