THE CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



CHAPTER XL. 



THE IMPROVEMENT OF PLANTS BY BREEDING 

 OR CROSSING. 



The increase of varieties by natural or artificial means, 

 is one of the most important methods by which improve- 

 ment in the culture of farm crops has been effected. As 

 regards farm animals this course of improvement has been 

 most effective in increasing the value of live stock and in 

 adding vast wealth to the world. The original stock of cat- 

 tle, horses, sheep, and swine, were very different both in 

 variety and character from the present improved kinds, 

 which far surpass in usefulness and value the ancient types. 

 This improvement is largely due to the system of crossing 

 by which the better qualities of two races are united and 

 combined; while the inferior characteristics of each are 

 neutralized or bred out. Thus large bony animals being 

 crossed with more compact, fine boned, fleshy ones, have 

 produced equally large progeny with equally fine bone and 

 heavy flesh; and it has been in this way that the magnifi- 

 cent short horn breed of cattle; the splendid horses; the most 

 useful sheep and swine, have been gradually developed 

 from inferior stock. 



As there is a close analogy betw r een the nature of animal 

 life and that of vegetable life in other respects, this similar- 

 ity also exists in this respect; and a similar course of im- 

 provement which has been carried on during many years 

 of intelligent and careful study and labor, and which has in 

 some cases been aided by unlooked for accidents, has re- 

 sulted in the most important and valuable results. All our 

 farm crops, vegetables and fruits, have been greatly im- 

 proved in this way, and the course of improvement is now 

 broader and more rapid and effective than it has ever been 

 before, thanks to the wide spread of knowledge among cul- 

 tivators of the soil, and the large development of enterprise 

 and genius which has been due to this increase of intelligence. 



