CHAPTER III. 



PRODUCTION OF NEW VARIETIES. 



THE tendency is more or less common with all plants, when suc- 

 cessively produced from seed, to depart from the character first 

 stamped upon them. These departures give rise to new varieties. 

 This tendency to vary is increased as plants are removed from their 

 native localities ; and in an eminent degree by cultivation. Planted 

 in gardens, and subjected to high culture, repeated and successive 

 sowings often develop striking changes in those which for previous 

 centuries had remained unchanged. By a constant selection of seeds 

 from the best, a gradual improvement on the original is effected. 

 Most of our finest fruits doubtless owe their existence to this 

 improving process. 



While a few of the seedlings from such improved varieties may 

 become still further improved, a far greater number \vill probably 

 approach towards the original or wild state. The more highly 

 improved the fruit, the greater the difficulty to find one of its progeny 

 which shall excel or equal the parent. In ten thousand seedlings 

 from those high-flavored apples, the Swaar and Esopus Spitzen- 

 berg, it may be quite doubtful if any shall equal in quality those 

 fruits themselves, while most may fall considerably below them. 



The improvements effected in former ages were doubtless the 

 result of accident, as the ancients were ignorant of the means for 

 their systematic accomplishment. The greatest progress in the art 

 made in modern times was effected by Van Mons in Belgium, and 

 Knight in England. 



Van Mons, who directed his labors chiefly to the pear, obtained 

 many new and excellent varieties, by a constant and successive 

 selection of the best seedlings. He first made a large collection of 

 natural stocks, or wild pears, choosing those which, from the appear- 

 ance of the wood and leaf, he had reason to believe would be most 

 likely to give the best fruit. As soon as the first of these bore, lie 

 selected the best, and planted the seeds. Selections were a<rain 



