104 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Having thus given a succinct statement of the mode of breed- 

 ing new grapes from our hardy native stock by direct descent, 

 it remains to notice another method which it cannot be denied 

 is received with mucli favor by many distinguished horticul- 

 turists, called 



HYBRIDIZING, OR CROP FERTILIZATION. 



This metliod consists in impregnating the germ of a hardy 

 native grape with the pollen of the foreign grape, with a view 

 to improve the quality of the hardy grape ; and it is claimed for 

 it that the pollen of the foreign grape imparts its better quality 

 to the fruit, while tlie hardy mother imparts its native vigor. 

 This is true to a greater or less extent, when the hybridization 

 is effected, but it is by no means certain that the tender habit 

 of the foreign vine will not prevail so tliat the seedling will be 

 at best but half hardy and require protection, in which case it 

 would be without value for field culture. Nor is this the only 

 objection ; seedlings from the hybrid would in all probability 

 breed back, that is to say, the predominant native type would 

 overpower the impregnation by the weaker foreign type, and the 

 seedling would not be of so good quality as the hybrid from 

 which it was raised. Certainly, if successful in the crossing, 

 you arrive at your first success more quickly, but you have not 

 got a reliable basis for future improvements ; and this, it seems 

 to us, should be the prime object of the grape breeder ; for, as 

 we have said before, the American grape will probably yield, in 

 time, seedlings quite as good as the foreign grape, while they will 

 immeasurably excel it in hardihood, early ripening, and adap- 

 tation to our soil and climate. These truths we think are plain, 

 but we do not by any means wish to commit ourselves to the 

 opinion that the hybrid could never be hardy, for we believe it 

 to be possible that the native vigor of the mother vine mnj; pre- 

 dominate so that the seedling would be hardy, but we think this 

 would be the exception to the rule, and that the defect of con- 

 stitutional force, and pre-disposition to mildew, common to the 

 foreign grape in this climate — and even to some extent natural 

 to it in its own country — would descend to the offspring, and so 

 defeat the purpose of the grape-grower, or at least render the 

 cultivation so troublesome and expensive that it would be 

 unprofitable. "We arc aware that several promising hybrids 



