EVOLUTION IN HORTICULTURE. 179 



It is nearly the same with the raspberry. 



The strawberry has not undergone much change, although Euro- 

 peans have hybrids that are better than the varieties we have. 



I have one or two thoughts I wish to present as the outcome of this 

 talk and they are : 



First — We can bring about great changes in horticulture by im- 

 proving and cultivating our native wild fruits, many of which are very 

 promising but are neglected because we have cultivated varieties that 

 supplant them. 



Second — It does not take so very much time to bring about these 

 changes, as we can see in the case of the blackberry. 



Third — It is good to hold on to all we have of old world goods but 

 we should try to improve our own now. 



In conclusion, I would say that every horticulturist is an evolutionist, 

 and as such he should do all in his power to bring about those changes 

 for the better to which all our fruits are susceptible. 



DISCUSSION. 



Creighton — That old theory of "natural selection and survival 

 of the fittest" is almost exploded; of course I think fruits have been 

 improved by artificial selection and that this old orthodox theory will 

 be modified. There is no evidence to show that any plant ever changes 

 beyond certain limits, and the natural tendency is to retrograde. 



Harrison — This is a pretty broad subject and requires much 

 thought. Our American crab apple is a good example of what the 

 first apples were. I never can forgive a boy who traded me a dozen 

 of the little, sour things for one good apple ; they did not look so very 

 bad and a dozen for one was big odds, but when I bit into one I knew 

 why he wanted to trade. I have seen at Harvard specimens of the 

 original apples from Pekin about as big as a currant and from that up 

 to the size of a cherry. Evolution has some wide gaps in it, but, 

 after all, there is something in it for our benefit. In regard to cher- 

 ries, vou find in the Rocky mountains a tree that bears fruit very sim- 

 ilar to the English Morello. 



Bessey — I didn't think "evolution" would be a "red rag" or I 

 should have searched a long time for a better term. I can't think of 

 one now. I was not using it to bring up a scientific discussion, but 

 to show that the horticulturist by judicious selection could produce 



