40 AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



certain fruits swell and ripen perfectly, though containing 

 not a single well developed seed. It would be an interest- 

 ing study to trace out those plants which do furnish a well 

 developed fleshy substance or sarcocarp, without the true 

 seeds. Such may be found occasionally in the native per- 

 simmon, in certain grapes, and in many apples ; but in the 

 strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry, the berry which 

 constitutes our desirable fruit, never swells unless the 

 germs have been impregnated and the seeds perfect. In 

 the stone-fruits the stone or pit is always developed, but 

 the enclosed seed is often imperfect from want of impreg- 

 nation or other cause and yet the fleshy covering will 

 sometimes swell and ripen. 



One of the most successful experimenters in this coun- 

 try is Doctor J. P. Kirtland, near Cleveland, Ohio, whose 

 efforts at crossing certain favorite cherries, were crowned 

 with the most happy results, and all are familiar with the 

 fruits that have been derived from his crosses. The details 

 of his applying the pollen of one flower to the pistils of 

 another are familiar to all intelligent readers, and have 

 been so often set forth, that they need not be repeated 

 in this case great care is necessary to secure the desired 

 object, and to guard against interference from causes that 

 would endanger or impair the value of the results. 



Van Mons' theory was based upon certain assumptions 

 and observations, some of which are well founded, others 

 are not so firmly established. He claimed correctly that 

 all our best fruits were artificial products, because the 

 essential elements for the preservation of the species in 

 their natural condition, are vigor of the plant and perfect 

 seeds for the perpetuation of the race. It has been the 



