2o4 



Americaiium, Aiiteiinaria plaiitagiiiifolia, Taraxacum dens- 

 leonis, <fec., &c. He thought there was very little variation 

 in respect to earliness or tardiness between this and the pre- 

 ceding spring, although the present is about ten days later 

 than it has been in previous years. 



Several questions were now proposed by Jacob Batchelder, 

 which gave rise to a new discussion, in which Messrs. Phip- 

 pen, Manning, and Russell participated. The new position 

 of the transplanted tree was of no consequence, care being 

 mainly directed to the judicious spread of the roots and their 

 depth in the soil, which should be properly prepared. Some 

 trees seemed to assume particular slanting directions, but 

 prevelance of certain winds in sucli exposures as on plains 

 or on the sea-shore would account for these. Reversed in 

 position by transplanting, the effect would he to produce 

 symmetry by the same agencies. In pear culture, cross 

 breeding or hybridization V7ould probably produce the surest 

 results. A'' an Mon's plan was, in short, to sow the seeds of 

 the best varieties for successive generations, each exhibiting 

 superior qualities and earlier bearing properties. A family 

 likeness would be retained even in these different varieties, 

 the beurre would be buerre, the gritty pears would produce 

 gritty, but with modifications, until the acme of perfection 

 had been olitained, when the tendency would be to return to 

 the old type, or to degenerate as it is called. The old *S^. 

 Michael shows this in a remarkable manner, only occasion- 

 ally producing the perfect fruit. The influence of the scion 

 upon the stock was yet a subject involved in much obscurity : 

 once it was thought to have no influence, but lately it is admit- 

 ted to have some. Instances are on record of curious varia- 

 tions in flowering shrubs, which when grafted upon other 

 species and varieties affecting the bark so as to produce its ad- 

 ventitious buds partaking of the character of the scion from 

 which they could not have originated ; a fact if authenticated, 

 which would prove something like a contamination, so to 



