164 SOME GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 



maintain a scientific staff for the purpose of breeding new 

 types, or to experiment with old varieties in order to better 

 adapt them to peculiar or specific conditions. Most com- 

 panies are always on the lookout for new and strange types 

 or forms which may become a valuable novelty. They are 

 trained to be keen observers and as they travel over the 

 country they see many interesting things which the lay- 

 man would pass by unnoticed. 



By far the greater majority of novelties are discovered 

 by accident. Some orchardist finds a seedling growing 

 in his garden. He transfers it to his orchard with the 

 intention of later grafting it into a desirable variety. This 

 task is neglected and the tree grows up and bears desir- 

 able fruit. Thousand of seedlings are growing every- 

 where and it is not strange that some of them may be an 

 improvement on existing varieties. A sample of the fruit 

 is saved and sent to the nurseryman, he examines it and 

 becomes interested. Correspondence follows, later a visit 

 is made to the tree to study its vigor and productiveness; 

 a contract is drawn giving the company the exclusive right 

 to propagate and sell the fruit. A number of cions are cut, 

 a few trees are propagated and planted in their trial orchard. 

 If they appear desirable the variety is named and sent out 

 to the public. All this consumes from five to eight years 

 and it is only reasonable to expect that a higher price 

 should be asked. 



Many new plants are now coming, through the activ- 

 ities of the department of plant introductions of the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture. Nursery companies are always 

 willing to cooperate in the testing of these introductions. 



