DETERIORATION OF VARIETIES. 387 



which will have the effect to bring out prominently 

 some desirable trait in the offspring. If hardiness 

 is desired, those methods should be employed which 

 shall conduce to the perfect ripeness of the wood of 

 the parent tree ; if vigor, those which shall produce 

 this ; if early maturity and productiveness, vigorous 

 summer pinching and root-pruning, to produce such 

 in the parent. 



It may be suggested by some that there is no 

 necessity for the production of new sorts as long as 

 we have those which are delicious, and which satisfy 

 our wants. But it must be remembered that varie- 

 ties have a limit of existence. They increase in 

 strength until they reach an age like that of man- 

 hood in the human race, when deterioration and 

 decay commences. This is not confined to the ori- 

 ginal seedling tree, but extends to all the buds or 

 scions obtained from it directly or indirectly. Thus, 

 if we do not produce new sorts, the standard of 

 excellence will become very much lower by the 

 deterioration of the older kinds, and at last none 

 will be left worth cultivation. This can be seen in 

 the fact that many of the sorts which were once 

 vigorous, hardy, and easily grown, with ordinary 

 cultivation, now resist the nicest conditions to their 

 production and health. The St. Germain pear was 

 once remarkably fine and beautiful in this country, 

 and was cultivated with comparative ease ; but now 

 it is almost impossible to bring it to any degree of 



