116 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the extermination of the forests had filled our orchards with 

 these modern pests. When Dr. Loring, in discussing " rota- 

 tion of crops," had discouraged the raising of carrots for horses, 

 and highly recommended turnips instead, saying that his horses 

 liked them much and throve on them finely, Mr. P. remarked 

 that the human animal could be educated to eat tobacco, and he 

 had no doubt that horses could be educated to eat turnips. But 

 somehow or other he never could persuade his horses to think 

 them very good, and whenever he offered them a mess, they 

 seemed to say to him, " Good master, do take away these dis- 

 agreeable things, and give us a small mess of carrots instead, if 

 you please." 



Prof. Chadbouene. I would like to ask one question. I 

 understand, that in order to produce the pears from which you 

 take the seed, you graft one variety into another. Why do you 

 do that ? 



Mr. PooTE. My object is to bring the two varieties into jux- 

 taposition, so that there shall be a cross-relation between them. 



Prof. Chadbourne. I want to know whether you suppose 

 that the effect comes from the passage of the pollen from one 

 part of the tree to the other, -or rely somewhat upon the stock 

 you graft perfecting the character of the fruit ? 



Mr. Foote. I am not enough of a vegetable physiologist to 

 answer a question of that sort with much intelligence. I have 

 supposed that in that case, the fruit might partake more of the 

 character of one sort or more of the other ; but I really do not 

 know how that is. 



Prof. Chadbourne. You hold that the stock into which you 

 graft really affects the fruit to such an extent that it will have 

 an influence upon the seed ? 



Mr. Foote. No, sir, I have no such idea as that. In improv- 

 ing domestic animals, the great maxim relied upon, is that like 

 produces like. That theory my specimens would seem to refute, 

 so far as the growing of seedling fruits is concerned. 



Col. Wilder. Those varieties, perhaps, are crossed by the 

 wind. 



Mr. Foote. Probably that might be a disturbing cause. I 

 would like to ask a question or two of Col. Wilder. I suppose 

 that if I a take a pear-seed and plant it, the result will depend 

 entirely upon the organization or composition of that seed, and 



