162 FIRST STUDIES IN PLANT LIFE 



annual, and others on weak or shaded shoots. Some, 

 therefore, of the seeds would be stronger than the 

 others, and of the strong seeds one might be strongest 

 of all. The plant from this seed smothers the rest ! 

 The gardener, when he picks the best seed, is but 

 copying Nature. 



Note.— Scholars in wheat-growing districts might make experiments in 

 improving the seed-wheat. The plan is to sow selected seeds in a seed plot, 

 and the following year again to select the best heads and again sow in a 

 separate plot. This process is continued for a few years. The results 

 obtained in this way in Canadian schools have been so valuable that 450 of 

 the parents (in farming districts) have formed a society for producing pure- 

 bred seed by band selection. 



Questions and Exercises : — 



(1) After inidsummer make experiments in budding. N.B. 

 Strong-gromng rose and peach trees with bark that lifts readUy 

 are easily budded. If the budding be done early in summer, the 

 strong sap-flow makes the bud push out a shoot, and this shoot 

 is likely to be weak. It is better that the hud remain dormant 

 till the following spring. 



(2) During winter make experiments in grafting. Xote. If 

 some cuttings of cherry plum have been planted the previous 

 winter, they will now be ready for grafting upon. For experi- 

 ments in pear-tree growing, suckers from a pear-tree can be 

 planted in the nursery during the previous winter. Pupils should 

 be warned, however, that pear-trees grown on suckers are apt to 

 sucker freely. Good growers raise their pear stocks from seed. 



(3) One often sees suckers of a wild plum growing from the 

 roots of a garden plum, or the suckers of a wild cherry growing 

 from a garden cherry. Explain. 



(4) Should experiments in crossing be tried, two points must be 

 noted, (a) The flower must be operated on as soon as open, 

 (b) After being fertilised the flower must have a small bag of 

 muslin tied round it to keep off insects. Dahlias make good 

 subjects for experiment. For fine work a camel hair brush may 

 be used for transferring pollen. 



Composition exercise : — Tell liow weeds have been turned 

 into garden vegetables, and wild fruits into gaiden fruits. 



Drawing exercise : — Draw a hedge rose, and, alongside of it, 

 your favourite garden rose. 



