12 The Rural Library. 



crossed seeds, gave the differences in height between ioo and 91. Canary- 

 grass gave similar results. 



I have obtained results as well marked as these upon a large and what 

 might be called commercial scale. I raised the plants during the first genera- 

 tion of seeds from known parentage, the flowers from which they came 

 having been carefully pollinated by hand. In some instances the second 

 generations were grown from hand-crossed seeds, but in other cases the 

 second generations were grown from seeds simply selected from the first- 

 year patches. As the experiments have been made in the field and upon a 

 somewhat extensive scale, it was not possible to measure accurately the 

 plants and the fruits from individuals in all cases ; but the results have been 

 so marked as to admit of no doubt as to their character. In 1889, several 

 hand-crosses were made among egg-plants. Three fruits matured, and the 

 seeds from them were sown in 1890. Some 200 plants were grown, and 

 they were characterized throughout the season by great sturdiness and vigor 

 of growth. They grew more erect and taller than other plants near by 

 grown from commercial seeds. They were the finest plants which I had 

 ever seen. It was impossible to determine productiveness, from the fact that 

 our seasons are too short for egg-plants, and only the earliest flowers, in the 

 large varieties, perfect their fruit, and the plant blooms continuously through 

 the season. In order to determine how much a plant will bear, it must be 

 grown until it ceases to bloom. When frost came, I could see little differ- 

 ence in productiveness between these crossed plants and commercial plants. 

 A dozen fruits were selected from various parts of this patch, and in 1891 

 about 2,500 plants were grown from them. Again the plants were remark- 

 ably robust and healthy, with fine foliage, and they grew erect and tall — an 

 indication of vigor. They were also very productive, but as the cross had 

 been made between unlike varieties and they were therefore unlike either 

 parent, I could not make an accurate comparison. But they compared well 

 with commercial egg-plants, and I am satisfied that they would have shown 

 themselves to be more productive than common stock could they have grown 

 a month or six weeks longer. Professor Munson, of the Maine Agricultural 

 College, grew some of this crossed stock this year (1891) and he writes me 

 that it is better than any commercial stock in his gardens. 



In extended experiments in the crossing of pumpkins, squashes and gourds, 

 carried on during several years, increase in productiveness due to crossing 

 has been marked in many instances. Marked increase in productiveness has 

 been obtained from tomato crosses, even when no other results of crossing 

 could be seen. 



Bearing in mind these good influences of crossing, let us recall another 

 series of facts following the simple change of seed. Almost every farmer 



