No. 4.] TRUCK FARMING. 25 



seems to be no definite data on these points which will enable 

 the farmer to learn just which method he should use under his 

 conditions. There is room here for a large amount of work. 



Plant Breeding. 



The work of the plant breeder in modern agriculture is 

 almost as important as is that of the soil physicist. To the 

 plant breeder we are indebted for the numerous adaptations 

 of vegetables which have brought large remuneration to cer- 

 tain localities. For example, if only one kind of potato could be 

 grown, many districts giving large acreage to that crop would 

 be deprived of that industry. 



Since there is great diversity of soil, climate and market 

 conditions in the country, there arises great necessity for the 

 development of characteristics adapted to use in the given 

 surroundings. Accordingly, the plant breeder is devoting him- 

 self to this line of work and has produced some well-known 

 results. The soil, climatic and cultural conditions in eastern 

 Virginia require a class of spinach of the Savoy type, while 

 under conditions prevailing in Louisiana the Savoy does not 

 thrive so well as some of the thick-set or long-standing types. 

 Market growers in the vicinity of Grand Rapids use the open- 

 head or loose-leaf lettuce, while those in the Atlantic States 

 grow some form of head lettuce. The plant breeders are at 

 present busy making still further developments of these strains 

 which have been adapted thus far to local conditions. Until 

 a few years ago it was thought that tomato seed obtained 

 from a typical individual of a variety would give the best 

 results possible, but now it is known that in addition to being 

 from a typical plant it is best to pollinate the flowers with 

 pollen from another plant of the same variety, thus infusing 

 new blood into the combination. By specialized breeding the 

 cucumber has been adapted to the cultural method of the open 

 field, the cold frame and the greenhouse. 



The truck farmers in the south have long since learned that 

 the potatoes of the Bliss type may be grown in Florida, Texas 

 and Louisiana with a profit, but that in the Carolinas and 

 Virginia the Cobbler type is more popular, and in Long Island 



