IMPROVEMENT OF PLANTS. 



26- 



Whilf! tin; icndency of the plant to vary is so 

 essential in furnishing- the starting-point for a 

 new variety, it is also the most dijjlcnli factor 

 to ovcrcovie in making that variety approach a 

 fixed t)pe ; for out of a number of seeds from 

 the plant having the desired characters, only one 



1st YEAR 2oYE:AR 5dYEAR 4twYEAR SthYEAR 



SELECT PLftNT^l) xffmn >- 



SELECT PLANTf 



SELECT PLANT(T) 



KiG. 88. — dia(;ram showing method ok selecting and 



IMPROVING SEED. 



may come true. In that case, seeds should be 

 used from that one plant only, and these planted 

 in an isolated place. Possibly the next genera- 

 tion may furnish several of the desired plants, 

 and again seed must be selected only from 

 these. 



With selection, isolation, and cultivation con- 

 tinued for many generations, one may hope to 

 obtain seeds the majority of which will come 



