182 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE 



Supposing, then, that it is estabh'shed conclusively to be 

 highly desirable, even for the preservation of present varieties, 

 to take some suitable precautions concerning the raising of 

 proper seed, on what conditions will success depend, and 

 what methods may be employed ? 



In the first place, it is indispensably necessary to make the 

 object proposed prominent to ourselves, and the basis of all 

 operations. This will induce the selection, with care, of a 

 suitable plant, or tree, to raise the seeds from ; even as the 

 stock-fancier selects the animals for his stalls. Due reference 

 must be had to several particulars, even descending to some 

 minutisB of detail. The form and shape of the tree, or plant, 

 the hardiness of its constitution, its readiness to fruit well, are 

 inherent properties, which are communicable by seeds. 



After the selection of the parent stock, it is to be treated 

 accordingl)'', properly cultivated, and not allowed to bear too 

 freely, but made to concentrate as much of its strength as 

 possible in the seeds which are to represent it. That is to 

 say, when we are cultivating anything for this object of seed- 

 bearing, we are not to hold the object secondary to any other 

 considerations. If the experiment is made with a fruit tree, 

 it would be well to reduce its fruit for that year to a minimum 

 beyond the specimens which are to be preserved for seeds. 

 And the same is as true throughout the vegetable kingdom. 

 The whole crop of the tree, or plant, for the season, is not to 

 be rated as so valuable as the success of such an experiment. 



The next thing is to guard against admixtures, and to se- 

 cure purity in the seed. As hybridization has more than an 

 even chance in its favor, we must not leave room for it to 

 occur. In providing against this danger, it is to be observed 

 that very little reliance is to be placed upon the mere fact of 

 distance from other varieties. A gentleman recently said to 

 me upon this subject, " I can never rely upon the fruits of my 

 squash-seeds, because I have a neighbor who will plant his 

 squashes within three miles of my garden ;" and many others 

 have similarly disobliging neighbors. The bees, and other 

 insects, have no narrow limits to their occasional or frequent 

 ranges. 



