15 



regarded either as exceptions to the general law, or as 

 the results of locality and cultivation. 



The physiological principle of the vegetable kingdom 

 under which this doctrine obtains is, that the bud con- 

 tains the embryo tree, and that the strong or precocious 

 stock constrains it to elaborate more material into wood 

 and foliage, and thus promotes both growth and fruit- 

 fulness. 



Common sense, as well as common observation, confirm 

 this statement. Witness the pear, which we have known 

 to fruit the fourth year from seed, when grafted on the 

 quince. AVe know a seedling from the Seckel pear, 

 grafted on the Bartlett, which bore the present season, 

 and is only four years from the seed. The Catharine 

 Gardette, raised by Dr. Brinckle, was brought into bear- 

 ing by grafting on the quince in five years, while the 

 original seedlings, in all these instances, are only three 

 to five feet in height, and will require several additional 

 years to bring them into bearing. Is it reasonable to 

 suppose thit a seedling pear, which, in two years, in a 

 given location, attains the height of one or two feet with 

 but few branches, will fruit as early as a scion from the 

 same seedling, when grafted on a strong tree, which 

 elaborates and assimilates through its abundant branches 

 and luxuriant foliage, ten times the amount of all the 

 elements constituting growth and maturity ? 



Hence, enforcing a former suggestion, in respect to 

 raising new varieties, I respectfully urge you to continue 

 and increase your eflbrts, and, in order to hasten matu- 

 rity and to multiply the chances of success, I confidently 

 recommend the grafting of seedling fruits at the earliest 

 possible moment. 



In respect to the best method of obtaining choice vari- 

 eties from seed, I urged you " to plant the most mature 

 and perfect seed of the most hardy and vigorous sorts.'' 



