PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. Ill 



two South Americau species blend sexually with each other, but these two 

 sections present an inherent aversion to any hybridization with those of 

 the eastern hemisphere. Messrs. Hovey, of Boston, attempted such hybri- 

 dizations twenty-eight years ago; Prof Huntsman and myself have tested 

 them for a similar period, and neither could succeed. No such hybridized 

 seedlings have been presented in America, in France, or in England; and 

 all pretences of producing any such hybrids now are delusive notions, 

 arising from an ignorance of normal conditions. 



As like produces like in the vegetable as well as in the animal kingdom, 

 it is indispensable that seeds for the purpose of originating new varieties 

 should be obtained by congenial hybridization of the existing varieties pos- 

 sessing the greatest number of good points. 



The characteristics of the six North American species are acidity and 

 great productiveness; and the characteristics of the Fragaria grandiflora 

 and Chilensis of South America are large size, sweetness and perfume. Of 

 the one hundred and twenty selected varieties of the Fragaria Virginiana, 

 lowensis and other North American species now under culture in our 

 grounds, there are but about twenty-five which have sweetness predomi- 

 nant, and only fifteen which have perfume or aroma; and these are the best 

 selections from thousands of seedlings during the last thirty years. No 

 seeds should be planted but of such varieties as possess these qualities, 

 and such as are also of large size and brilliant in color. A sour berry like 

 the Wilson, Austin and Chorlton will produce nearly all sour berried seed- 

 lings. In proof that the same course of breeding by selection appertains 

 to plants as to animals, I will make mention of two striking facts. I have, 

 during the present season, had above five hundred seedling plants which 

 have fruited for the first time; among tliese there were ten plants grown 

 from a high bred seedling, which Prof. Huntsman calls " American Queen;" 

 of these ten, but five produced ordinary fruit, and four of the others are the 

 largest and finest flavored out of the sixty-two selected varieties from my 

 entire collection of five hundred seedlings. I had also thirteen seedlings 

 of the Austin — a large, handsome, but acid and inferior berry; of these 

 only one was equal to its beautiful, but soft and insipid parent. The 

 others were devoid of all sweetness and perfume, and utterly worth- 

 less. Among the seedlings announced to the public the present season, 

 thei-e are nine offered by Messrs. Burgess, Fuller and Russell, grown from 

 seeds of the Wilson and Austin, and all are acid but one, and that is a 

 small, semi-acid berry. It becomes us to be fastidious as to fruits and 

 flowers possessing perfume, as they are by nature constituted the most perfect ; 

 and my own floral pursuits have taught me to realize the sublime truth that 

 the aroma of the fruits of the earth, and the diversified perfumes of the 

 myriads of flowers which adorn every mountain and every valle}^, constitute 

 the incense which the vegetable kingdom offers spontaneously to its God. 



I have already stated that Prof. Huntsman and myself have been engaged 

 in growing strawberries from seeds for about thirty years, and we have 

 probably so grown in all fifty thousand plants, selecting always the 

 choicest for cultivation, and casting these aside as we chanced to obtain 

 varieties of increased merit. The collection we now possess, all the varie- 

 ties of which are methodically arranged by name in my grounds, comprisea 



