172 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



any particular branch, but merely to offer for your consideration 

 some sntrgestions of a more general character, from the stand- 

 point of an agricultural chemist. 



Judging from late publications and addresses by distinguished 

 horticulturists, here and elsewhere, it appears that a well founded 

 apprehension is quite generall}' entertained concerning the conse- 

 quences arising from a serious degeneration and a frequent excep- 

 tionally short existence of many varieties of small and large fruits, 

 as well as of prominent garden crops. We are advised from all 

 sides to take particular care to secure our seeds, or scions, as cir- 

 cumstances may recommend, from a healthy stock. No one famil- 

 iar with the facts on which this advice is based can seriously ques- 

 tion its soundness, nor underrate the great importance of the 

 object in view. 



While personall}- in full harmony with the course thus recom- 

 mended, I venture to ask. Does tlie selection of seeds and scions 

 from a vigorous parent plant suffice to render a reasonable ulti- 

 mate success attainable, without material assistance from other 

 sources? Answering this question for myself, I feel impelled to 

 say — No ! 



Health and vigor may be to some extent inborn qualities; 3'et 

 their continuation, it will be conceded, depends in a controlling 

 degree on favorable and congenial surroundings. Accepting this 

 circumstance, it becomes obvious that our prospect of success will 

 stand in direct relation to our knowledge of what constitutes con- 

 genial circumstances in the case of plants under cultivation. 



We all admit that a high character of seeds and scions is of the 

 first importance, and that nobody can reasonably expect to suc- 

 ceed who neglects to pay serious attention to the selection of either 

 the one or the other, as circumstances may prescribe, when entering 

 upon the cultivation and improvement of any particular plant ; but 

 we arc not less aware that a suitable climate, a peculiar soil, and 

 in particular a supply of desirable plant food are not less impor- 

 tant factors in the successful propagation of plants. The best of 

 seeds will fail to secure satisfactory results where an}' one of these 

 conditions of success does not assist in the work. 



In studying the history of progress in horticulture we notice 

 that its special interests have been advanced on two distinctly dif- 

 ferent lines of investigation, namely, by inquiring into the circum- 

 stances which favor the production of new varieties, and by exam- 



