74 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



this, namely, most plants can be in some way cross-fertilized, and 

 this cross-fertilization, even in those species which can be close- 

 fertilized, ensures greater vigor in the progeny." 



Prof. Robinson remarked that Mr. Darwin's conclusions were de- 

 rived from actual experiments, with hundreds of plants, those with 

 some species extending over a period of eleven years. Prof. Good- 

 ale mentioned only a very few of the many instances that might be 

 given, of arrangements for preventing self-fertilization. 



Mr. Hovey remarked that the bean, so long cultivated and not 

 easily self-fertilized, had never become mixed. 



Mr. Ware corroborated this remark. He had never found hy- 

 brids among beans. 



The Chairman mentioned the squash family as plants which mix 

 easily. 



Mr. Ware again alluded to the fertilization of corn, which he 

 thought peculiarly interesting. To illustrate further than before, 

 he mentioned a farmer who had a very superior variety of corn, 

 which his neighbors desired to obtain, but which he refused to part 

 with. To keep it pure he planted it away from all his other corn, 

 but, Unfortunately for himself, he planted some on the bank of a 

 river, and a neighbor planted some corn on the opposite side, which 

 was fertilized by the superior variety, and thus seed possessing 

 most of its characteristics was obtained. Mr. Ware also knew 

 a farmer who was famous for his excellent crop of corn, and who 

 would go to any one who had superior corn and get a few ears, 

 which he would plant with his other corn, regardless of the appear- 

 ance produced by the intermixture ; but although the crop would 

 not present a uniform appearance, Mr. Ware thought it a question 

 whether the mixing did not add to the vigor of the plants. 



Prof. Robinson remarked that cross-fertilization does not always 

 cause variation. He illustrated Prof. Goodale's views as to the 

 influence of cross-fertilization in suppressing vagaries, by supposing, 

 in a case where seeds of a plant A, produced progeny A, B, and 

 C, that A should exactly resemble the parent, B varjdng in one di- 

 rection, and C in the opposite. Should these be self-fertilized they 

 would tend to form three quite marked varieties, whereas should 

 they cross, each with the others, the variation would be broken up, 

 and the third generation would tend to go back to the original, A, 

 especially should B cross with C, the average being A. We find 

 where a race mixes with other races, like the English nation, that 



