ON THE RASPBERRY 



In every case where I found these two species 

 growing together there were numerous natural 

 hybrids in evidence. None of these hybrids were 

 as productive as the parents, but the vines were 

 usually stronger growers than either, and ap- 

 peared to be hard pressing both parent species, 

 with the prospect that they would in time sup- 

 plant them in this region. I gathered large quan- 

 tities of seeds from the best of these hybrids and 

 brought them home for planting. Many seedlings 

 were thus raised which obviously carried the com- 

 bined characters of both their wild parents. 



These representatives of a new species devel- 

 oped by hybridization under natural conditions 

 have obvious scientific interest even though they 

 failed to develop sufficient productivity to be of 

 commercial value. 



Let me repeat that natural hybrids are much 

 more numerous than is generally supposed. 



I have found them among other wild plants. 

 Especially are they to be observed among straw- 

 berries, blueberries, huckleberries and California 

 lilacs (Ceanothus). I have elsewhere cited in- 

 stances of the hybridization of the tar-weeds and 

 the mints. There can be no doubt that some of 

 our well-known species of to-day were produced 

 by Nature in this way within recent times. 



I have elsewhere observed, and I emphatically 



[59] 



