218 



Plant-Breeding 



any comparisons drawn between the breeding of animals 

 and plants are likely to be fallacious. 



Is there, then, any such thing as plant-breeding, any 

 possibility that the operator can proceed with some con- 



FIG. 54. Fruit of a cultivated variety of the elderberry which appeared 

 as a variation from the wild form. 



fidence that he may obtain the ideal he has in mind? 

 Yes, to a certain extent. 



Plant-breeding by selection. It is apparent that the 

 very first effort on the part of the plant-breeder must be 

 to secure individual differences ; for so long as the plants 



