xin PLANT-BREEDING 153 



chance in the fields, this could be done by ordinary 

 farmers. On the other hand, when these new kinds 

 have to be made deliberately by crossing and then 

 long breeding, there is more work than the ordinary 

 farmer or gardener can undertake. Farmers and 

 gardeners have their daily work to do ; the delicate 

 operations by means of which new plants are now 

 made, require more time and care than they can 

 give. We find, therefore, that now, in addition to 

 the people who grow plants for the sake of their 

 produce, there are other people who grow them for 

 the sake of making new plants, or of producing the 

 kinds of seed best suited to particular conditions. 



Sometimes these people are nursery-gardeners, 

 who, instead of sending lettuces and cabbages to 

 market, devote themselves chiefly to supplying other 

 gardeners with the best kinds of seeds. There have 

 been in England a number of famous gardeners of 

 this kind, for the production of fine kinds of plants 

 and of farm animals has for long been a speciality 

 of the English people. It is one of the ways in 

 which we show our practical cleverness. 



In addition to the gardeners, however, a number 

 of other people have worked at this subject, both 

 in this and in other countries. In England espe- 

 cially, there have never been wanting people willing 

 to give their time, their money, and their labour 

 to the experimental study of agriculture and of 



