LECTURE BY HON. MARSHALL P. WILDER. 185 



that it has superceded almost every other as the grape for the 

 million, but it is not above mediocrity in quality, and is deficient 

 in the properties which fit it for preservation and transportation. 

 Now could we by hybridization combine the hardiness and pro- 

 ductiveness of the Concord with a grape of higher quality and witli 

 good keeping properties, such a variety would be a source of na- 

 tional wealth. Hence we deduce the principle that in selecting 

 varieties for hybridization we should choose such as possess the 

 qualities which it is desired to unite in a new and improved 

 variety. 



I have thus far confined my remarks mainly to the production 

 of new varieties of fruits, but my earliest experience was in the 

 floral kingdom, in the crossing of species and varieties of the ca- 

 mellia. In my experiments I have discovered that, for the produc- 

 tion of double flowers, it was important that the pollen used for 

 impregnation should be borne on a petaloid anther, that is, an 

 anther bearing a small petal, and that this was still better, if from 

 a double flower. I also observed that the larger and better devel- 

 oped this petaloid anther, the better chance for a fine, double oflf- 

 spring, for, as might have been expected, the anthers being con- 

 nected with the corolla, the number of petals would be increased 

 by such an operation. I found also, that, for the most perfect and 

 symmetrical flowers, it was better to select single flowers, which 

 were the most perfect in their petals for seed bearers, and that 

 single or semi-double sorts with perfect corollas, when impreg- 

 nated with petaloid pollen will produce double flowers of a regular 

 symmetrical formation. Of this I have the most conclusive evi- 

 dence in the Camellia Wilderi, and many other fine double varieties 

 in my collection, which were produced from the single red and 

 single white camellias, fertilized by pollen from a petaloid anther 

 of double varieties. 



In regard to the crossing of species, as they are now classed, I 

 find that many of the opinions heretofore entertained as to the 

 impossibility of such procedure are not founded in truth. For 

 instance the Hautbois strawberry is generally recognized as a dis- 

 tinct species, but I have had no difl3culty in crossing other species 

 with its pollen, and producing a great number of plants, all of 

 which partake strongly of the features of the male parent. It is 

 but just, however, to state, that many of these are sterile plaits, 

 and that no fine varieties, as yet, have been produced f o.n this 



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