STARTING PLANTS 137 
unusual for a small, weak plant to produce an extra fine 
tomato, cucumber, pepper or eggplant. Not individual 
specimens, but the plant must be regarded as the unit of 
selection. 
To begin with, the grower should have a very definite 
idea of what he wants. The market demands should also 
be known before a given type is decided upon. After a 
definite conclusion is reached concerning the most desir- 
able size, shape, color and quality of the product to be 
grown, the most careful observation is made when the 
crops are harvested. Here and there will be found plants 
which approach the ideals of the grower, and they are 
also vigorous, productive and perhaps free from disease. 
Such plants are marked and the seed saved in separate 
packages. The packets are then numbered and small 
plantings of each made for the next crop. It will be 
found that some of the selections do not perpetuate their 
good qualities, while others do. Selections are again 
Fig. 44.—Flat of lettuce plants ready for transplanting into the beds. 
made from the best plants of the best lots, and in the 
course of a few generations a strain of special merit 
should be developed if the work has been done intelli- 
gently. Some of the leading greenhouse growers are 
developing a trade for special strains, though this is 
seldom, if ever, their motive in breeding better seeds. 
Separate plant houses (Figs. 41 and 42), are almost in- 
dispensable in large establishments. They make it 
