182 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



nrt, in the creation of now varieties of fruits, flowers and vegeta- 

 bles in our own country. 



"Whatever ma}' be the comparative merit of these systems, we 

 may combine, in our practice, the excellences of all, by sowing 

 the seeds of our improved sorts, and hybridizing our best varieties, 

 relying on the fundamental principle that the offspring will inherit 

 in a great degree the characteristics of its parents. Thus we 

 should plant the most mature and perfect seed of the best, most 

 hard}', and vigorous varieties. This rests upon the conviction 

 that immature seed will not produce vigorous and healthy offspring. 

 "All experience shows," says Dr. Lindle}-, "that in every kind of 

 created thing, be it man, or beast, or bird, the mysterious princi- 

 ple called life remains, during the whole period of existence, what 

 it was at first. If vitality is feeble in the beginning, so it remains. 

 Weak parents produce weak children, and their children's children 

 are weaker still." 



Although I have spoken strongly in favor of cross fertilization, 

 as the most scientific and best method for producing improved 

 sorts, I would not discourage the sowing of the seeds of our best 

 varieties, because the}^ have not been artificially impregnated by 

 the hand of man, for they may have been fertilized by the wind, 

 or insects, conveying the pollen of one variety to the stigma of 

 another. In this way have been produced most of the best of our 

 American fruits. 



In summing up these opinions we would say : " Plant the most 

 mature and perfect seed of the most hard}^ vigorous, and valuable 

 varieties, and as a shorter process, insuring more certain and 

 happy results, cross or hybridize your best fruits, flowers and 

 vegetables." 



4. The establitihmeiU of a sport of a variety^ by transferring the 

 sporting branch to another stock, thus preserving and perpetuating 

 its character. 



This method of acquiring now varieties is a modern process. 

 The origin of these varieties is the result of what is called a 

 " sport " in nature, or in other words, the departure of a branch 

 of a tree, or plant, from its normal t3'pe, producing a different 

 fruit or flower Ironi that of the parent stock, as fur instance, the 

 strii)ed Duchessc d'Angoulemc, the Louise JJonne of Jersey, and 

 Beurre d'Amanlis pears, the trees of which have both striped 



