HYBRIDISM BY GRAFTING AND BUDDING. 159 



ism has, doubtless, arisen from the great difficulty, in fact 

 impossibility heretofore, of obtaining definite proofs of such 

 hybridism in the resulting products between individuals of 

 the same species. The different varieties of apples, pears, 

 peaches and plums have leaves resembling each other suffi- 

 ciently closely to prevent any cross from a stock and scion 

 showing with marked distinctness in the product of the seed. 

 But in the instance I will presently offer, we have two kinds 

 of the same species so entirely distinct in every point that 

 when grafted, or rather top-budded, one upon the other, and 

 the seed of the scion planted, we are able to detect in the 

 product the distinct peculiarities of both so plainly that the 

 conclusion as to a genuine hybridism seems irresistible. 

 And why, indeed, should there be such incredulity or doubt 

 as to not only the possibility of such a result, but even the 

 probability of an actual cross in every case of trees grown 

 from seed taken from grafted or budded trees of the same 

 species ? Remembering that the stock is the actual provider 

 and dispenser of all the plant-food received by the scion, and 

 that general experience has shown that certain stocks do give 

 additional vigor to other weakly growers, as a Delaware 

 grafted on a Niagara grape vine, and also add size to the 

 berry, as always results from such a union, I see no physio- 

 logical reason for doubting that the stock must, of necessity, 

 stamp some of its characteristics on the seed also. It is 

 freely admitted that vigor, longevity and productiveness, as 

 well as size of fruit, can be imparted by the stock to the scion ; 

 and yet, when asked to go to the logical conclusion, and add, 

 "affect the seed also," a prompt negative is given. . May not 

 the overlooking of this important fact be the reason why, 

 considering the vast number of seedlings of every kind that 

 have been grown and tested, the number of meritorious 

 varieties of recent years that are equal to the older sorts is so 

 small? The really valuable varieties can almost be counted 

 on the two hands. Now, why this great scarcity of improved 

 kinds from so many millions of seeds? Is there any reason- 

 able explanation, except that we start out with a "degen- 

 erate" as one of the parents of our seed? For instance, in 



