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desirable that some system be adopted whereby the propa- 

 gating powers of nature, in developing specimens of excel- 

 lence from the seed, may not be entirely suppressed. Graft- 

 ing and budding are the works of art, and we are not dis- 

 posed to underrate their advantages. But we think that the 

 subtle and wonderful powers of nature should also have a 

 chance to operate in the great work of progress and develop- 

 ment. For all new varieties in the future, like those in ihe 

 past, must come of seedings ; and the old sayings that " there 

 is as good fish in the sea as ever was caught," is applicable 

 here. Nurserymen raise trees for the market; they therefore 

 rear such as the community wants, and generally none others, 

 and as the community demands but a few standard varieties, 

 to those varieties they confine their operations. It is to them 

 no paying business to go into an adventurous chase after new 

 ones. The proper class of persons to engage in this enter- 

 prise is the farmers ; they generally have plenty of land and 

 can do it cheaper and with less inconvenience than any one 

 else. Our plan would be to procure the seeds of fruits, 

 themselves the products of seedlings of good, healthy growth, 

 and of an improving state, and plant them. When the 

 stocks are of a suitable size to transplant, make a judicious 

 selection of the number you wish, and arrange them into a 

 small orchard on the land you may appropriate for the pur- 

 pose. When they come to a bearing condition, it will be 

 apparent if any are of a quality worth perpetuating; you 

 may chance to have a specimen or two of a very superior 

 order. In this case you will give to the world a valuable 

 accession, while to yourself it will be a matter of innocent 

 pride and gratification, besides attaining historical immor- 

 tality by embalming your name in the christening of the 

 apple. The bearers of worthless fruit can be grafted with 

 any kind desired, and that without losing more than three 

 or four years. Any other means that may be accessible may 

 be availed of for procuring superior specimens not generally 

 known, such as for instance going to orchards lying back in 

 the country, many of which have some specimens of most 



