428 PLANTS AND THEIR RELATION TO MAN 



a hybrid; when different varieties of the same fruit are crossed, 

 such as red apples and green apples, the result is known as a 

 cross. Hybridization and crossing enable us to obtain many 

 new varieties of fruit, and to improve those varieties which we 

 already have. Sometimes it is possible to obtain plants which 





FIG. 292. The middle flower is a hybrid between a red and a white carnation, 

 showing characteristics of each parent. (After Andrews.) 



have many of the good characteristics of both parents and 

 none of the objectionable characteristics of either. Fruit sellers 

 say that red apples because of their attractive color bring the 

 highest prices, and hence they are constantly on the alert for 

 apples of this color. Because of this demand, fruit growers 

 strive to increase the varieties of red apples, and generally use 

 red apples as one parent in hybridization. Every day efforts 



