Propagation of the Vine. 91 



in this manner, the variety chosen will soon be im- 

 proved, by the gradual development of those qualities 

 sought after. 



[Sports. — A certain amount of variation Is frequently ob- 

 served among our plants of culture. These diversities are 

 sometimes so remarkable as to attract attention, particularly 

 when they relate to color, as in the instance above cited, 

 where black was changed to white — a. remarkable change, 

 truly, and yet similar sports are not unfrequently observed in 

 plants. Sometimes these sports, as they are called, occur in 

 the foliage, in the habit of the plant, or in the fruit alone, 

 and it is found that from the affected branches we may often 

 propagate plants that may have similar qualities, and thus per- 

 petuate the sub-variety. Our author calls it degeneration ; it 

 may also be improvement ; it is simply variation from the 

 original, normal type, and if we observe carefiiUy and select 

 judiciously, we may improve our fruits by taking advantage 

 of these tendencies to variation in the product of the buds, 

 just as well as by selecting superior seedlings, though, in the 

 latter, variation is the rule and not the exception, as here ; at 

 least, such is the case in seedlings of most of our improved 

 fruits of cultivation. In the case of seeds, too, there is a con- 

 stant liability for them to have had a mixed parentage ; and 

 at our will, we may control the pedigree of the seeds pro- 

 duced, which is not the case with the product- of buds. Here 

 the close analogy which has been shown to exist between the 

 seeds and the buds ceases. 



The whole subject of sports is one of deep interest to the 

 physiologist and scientific gardener, but practically, we may 

 safely propagate any distinct variety, and expect to find all 

 our plants like the parent.] 



