330 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



raising and selecting seeds, whose habits of persevering 

 industry seem interwoven in his very nature, whose fond- 

 ness for the farm and [garden, and his means, give him the 

 opportunity of doing some intelligent and perfect w^ork, 

 whose practical results show the degree by which his accom- 

 plishments can be measured. 



I was shown into the garden ; my eye fell upon plat after 

 plat of vegetables, of the highest degree of excellence, better 

 than any I had ever seen ; every sort seemed to indicate the 

 highest cultivation, and true to a fixed type. I at once 

 began inquiry as to the modes and practices to produce such 

 results as were before me. " Raising and selectinor seeds" 

 proves to be one of the primary causes. 



I will take for illustration his lettuce. He raised seed for 

 eight or more consecutive years ; first, by selecting twenty 

 of the most promising heads, and out of the twenty one 

 would be chosen, being the most perfect in form and sub- 

 stance, from which seed is gathered for the next season's 

 planting, and by this course for a term of years lettuce is 

 grown of rare excellence; large, compact heads of very great 

 substance, as well as crisp and tender. Other garden vege- 

 tables are successfully grown, and seeds are raised and 

 selected with even more care. 



Strawberries grown from seed received special attention, 

 and plants were wonderfully strong and productive, one 

 hundred hills producing seventy-nine quarts in June, 1881, 

 that were set out the previous August. We were shown 

 plants standing alone, at long distances apart, which had 

 received special fertilization by the pollen of the best known 

 sorts, applied in the most scientific and careful manner. 

 These seedling plants indicated not only a marked type, but 

 a luxuriance and thrift such as I have never witnessed, and 

 promise results which can be obtained only by the most care- 

 ful and patient continuance in well-doing. My friend has 

 demonstrated by repeated trial and experiment that potatoes 

 of one variety can be made two weeks earlier, by selecting 

 eyes from the seed end, or two weeks later by selecting eyes 

 from the opposite end ; by persisting and following out this 

 practice for a term of years their maturity can be controlled ; 

 furthermore, that potatoes of one variety may be grown either 



