NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



the market, time enough must be allowed 

 thoroughly to test i': so that it will not revert 

 to some former inferior stage. In general, Mr. 

 Burbank says that six or eight generations 

 of persistence in r, given trait usually are suf- 

 ficient to fix that trait, and to warrant one in 

 announcing a new flower and offering it for 

 sale from one '3 own gardens or to some of the 

 great seed::men or florists. 



Among the vegetables, potatoes and to- 

 matoes are !joth very easy to work upon, and 

 excellent results may be looked for, both in 

 the improvement of size, flavor and hardiness. 

 Corn of all Vcirieties, though particularly the 

 sweet corns, he recommends. Squashes are 

 more difficult to cross satisfactorily, as well as 

 melons, though they are apt to bring very 

 satisfactory results. Considerable difficulty will 

 be experienced by the beginner in working on 

 peas and beans, but, if the work is successfully 

 done, remarkable results are lil^ely to follow. 

 He does not think it worth while to try to 

 improve such vegetables as cauliflower, lettuce 

 and cabbages by crossing, because they are 

 most excellent as they are, and to cross them 

 might easily result in so breaking up their old 



242 ' 



