112 REVISING NURSERY CATALOGUES. 



I desire especially to enforce upon nurserymen the duty of 

 aiding in this reform, by revising their catalogues so as to 

 correspond with the improved nomenclature. Horticultural 

 and pomological associations have thus far been our most 

 powerful auxiliaries in this good work, but they do not come 

 in contact with the people at so many points as the nursery- 

 men whose catalogues are distributed broadcast over the land, 

 and I would especially appeal to the many honorable represen- 

 tatives of this profession here assembled, to give us their hearty 

 co-operation until the work is accomplished. Let us push on 

 constantly and vigorously while we live, that future generations, 

 seeing its advantages, shall avoid the evils we have encountered, 

 and shall enjoy the benefits of the improved system, and look 

 ba-jk with giatitude to us for our labors. 



PRODUCTION OF NEW FRUITS. 



And low in fulfillment of my promise to urge upon you while 

 I live the importance of producing from seed new improved 

 varieties of fruits, adapted to the various soils and climates of 

 our vast territory, I have substantially to repeat what I have 

 said in my former addresses. These are the means, and the 

 only means, which God and nature have provided for the im- 

 provement of our fruits, and the better we understand and prac- 

 tice them the nearer shall we approach to that divine beneficence 

 which gives flavor and richness to our fruits, and to the senses 

 the highest types of beauty, grace and gratification. 



Thus from time to time I have spoken to you, and, were these 

 my last words, I would again impress them upon you as of the 

 utmost importance. With a careful study of the tendencies of 

 varieties, and a judicious selection of parents, as breeders, we 

 shall go on to produce fruits which will be adapted to every 

 climate or condition of our land where any species of fruit may 

 be grown. When we see what nature has done without the aid 

 of manipulation — in the cold regions of the North, as in Russia, 

 from whence came the Oldenburg and Tetofsky apples, the 

 Black Tartarian cherry, and other good fruits, as seen by Pro- 

 fessor Budd and Mr Charles Gibb, who can doubt our ability to 

 proHuce fine fruits even in the colder regions of our country? 



When we consider that the art of crossing varieties for their 

 improvement was scarcely known until our day, and see what 

 wonders have been accomplished by it, who can doubt that we 

 may yet produce a pear with the richness of the Seckel, the 

 form and size of the Bose, and the vigor and productiveness of 

 the Boussock? And so we may go on to improve other fruits, 

 until all shall be made as perfect as ever were grown by " the 

 grand old gardener " in Eden. But to do this we must study the 

 characteristics of varieties and thus help nature to perfect this 

 work. 



