286 THE SURVIVAL OF THE UNLIKE. [XVI. 



plants in variety are indigenous over mueh of our ter- 

 ritory. The trouble is that we have failed to grow 

 with much satisfaction the varieties originated in 

 England and on the continent, and we have then gen- 

 eralized this failure into a maxim that our climate is 

 uncongenial to rhododendron culture ; yet the very type 

 from which many of these varieties have, come, grows 

 luxuriantly in our woods. There is not the slightest 

 reason to doubt that if American nurserymen were to 

 originate varieties of rhododendrons, we should soon 

 have sufficient adaptive kinds to meet our needs. 

 Even the cultivation of the apple never became an 

 unqualified success in the United States until we 

 produc^ed American varieties. .AH success in the cul- 

 tivation of raspberries and strawberries and gooseber- 

 ries was delayed until we had American species or 

 varieties. It was once thought that we could not grow 

 our own apple stocks, but we now know that the Amer- 

 ican stocks are as good as the French, and are probably 

 superior to them. All the older men in this audience 

 can remember when it was thought that the American 

 climate would not allow of successful rose -growing out 

 of doors, but now rose gardens are cominon, and there 

 are more prizes for us among American novelties than 

 among the European. I have the fullest confidence that 

 there is not a more promising field for the faithful and 

 patient American nurseryman than in the evolution of 

 an American race of rhododendrons and azaleas. It 

 would be strange, indeed, if the experience in so many 

 kinds of plants should finally fail in the rhododendrons. 

 As I now see it, the greatest ultimate good which 

 shall come to the horticulturist from this great exhibi- 

 tion is the lesson that our country is too large and too 



