CHAPTER XVIII. 



ORIGINATING NEW VARIETIES HYBRIDIZATION. 



THIS chapter introduces us to great diversities of opinion, and to still 

 greater differences in experience, and I fear that I shall leave the 

 subject as indefinite as I find it. The scientist best versed in botany 

 and the laws of heredity can here find a field that would tax his best skill 

 for a life-time, and yet a child may amuse himself with raising new kinds ; 

 and it would not be impossible that, through some lucky combination of 

 nature, the latter might produce a variety that would surpass the results 

 of the learned man's labor. As in most other activities of life, however, 

 the probabilities are on the side of skill and continuous effort. 



We have already shown that all the seeds of the F. Virginiana and 

 F. Chilensis may produce a new variety. These seedlings often closely 

 resemble the parent or parents, and sometimes are practically identical 

 with one of them ; more often they present distinct differences. It 

 is wholly impossible to predict the character of seedlings, as they 

 usually are produced. If we could obtain pure specimens of the two 

 great species, and cross them, the element of chance would not enter 

 into the result so largely as must be the case when seed is gathered in 

 our gardens. The pedigrees of but few varieties are known, and in 

 many instances the two great races are so mingled that we can only 

 guess which element predominates, by the behavior and appearance 

 of the plants. The kinds with which we start are hybrids, and, as 

 Mr. A. S. Fuller sagaciously remarks, " Hybridizing, or crossing 



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