208 THE SURVIVAL OF THE UNLIKE. [iX. 



crease of varieties will be accepted without further 

 proof. The question which you all desire to ask me 

 is whether all this increase represents progress. Many 

 poor varieties have been introduced, beyond a doubt, 

 but I am convinced that the general tendency is deci- 

 dedly progressive. You may cite me the fact that we 

 have not improved upon the Rhode Island Greening 

 and Fall Pippin apples, the Montmorenci cherry, the 

 Green Gage plum, and other varieties which were in 

 cultivation at the opening of the century, as proof of 

 a contrary conviction ; but I shall answer that we now 

 have a score of apples as good as the Greening, although 

 we may have none better. This habit of saying that 

 we have not improved upon certain old plants is really 

 a fallacy, for the reference is always made to quality of 

 fruit alone ; and, furthermore, the test of progress is 

 not the supplanting of a good variety, but the origina- 

 tion of varieties which shall meet new demands. The 

 more numerous and diverse the varieties of any plant, 

 the more successful will be its cultivation over a wide 

 area, because the greatest number of diiferent condi- 

 tions — as soils, climates and uses — will be satisfactorily 

 met. If we had at present only the apples which were 

 grown in M'Mahon's time, apple culture in the prairie 

 states, in our bleak northwest, and even in some of the 

 apple sections of Ontario, would be impossible. We 

 are constantly extending the borders of the cultivation 

 of all fruits by means of these new varieties. The 

 horticultural settlement of our great west and of the 

 cold north is one of the wonders of the time. 



We should not ask ourselves of a new variety if it 

 is better in all respects than other varieties, but if it 

 will fill some specific need more satisfactorily. If ^ 



