97 



duced fruits aud vegetables in wonderful variety and profusion and of the highest 

 excellence, and is still pressing onward ; every season bi-ings some new success in 

 the line of fruit or vegetable raising, and notwithstanding there is so much mystery 

 clouding the whole subject — so much that we should know, but do not — so much 

 guess work, instead of positive information, and so much that seems impossible for 

 the mind to understand peculiar to each plant — nevertheless, it appears worth the 

 while to discuss these questions, with the hope of new and increasing light pertaining 

 to the philosophy and science of horticultural and pomological pursuits. There can 

 be no end to horticultural investigations; and few, if any, conclusions in this hidden 

 science can be considered final; and the subject we have been discussing still affords 

 a wide field for inquiry. 



Nature when her varied forces can be brought into action, has a tendency to- 

 wards improvement in increased varieties or sorts. Nature, when assisted by man, 

 understanding her law of selection, can produce by cross-fertilization new sorts of 

 hitherto unknown excellence, tending to improvement in size, colour, texture and 

 flavour, and when the better conditions are sought, favourable to the highest and best 

 development of each species. 



"Wild fruits are constantly being reproduced from seed. Nature's forces for the 

 transmission of pollen from flower to flower by bees, butterflies and insects innumer- 

 able, are constantly engaged ; thereby the seed product of each flower contains re- 

 newed and fresh natural force to reproduce a strong and healthy plant adequate to 

 withstand all climatic and other conditions which nature intended. 



It is quite probable that the fruits of the earlier period, from which the present 

 fruits are the lineal descendants, each sort reproduced from seed, closely resembled 

 the parent fruit. 



Since the period when fruits have been introduced into one section of the coun- 

 try from the four quarters of the globe greater changes and greater varieties have 

 become manifest. 



Even now among our indigenous sorts the wild strawberry, the blackberry, the 

 raspberry, any marked deviation from their original type is the exception and not 

 the general law. 



We are now comparatively in the early stages of investigation relating to life 

 and organism of fruit plants. We have found by experiment that the seeds from 

 one improved apple or pear will never reproduce its like, or even two alike, from 

 the same core. 



We have never seen from seedlings -two Baldwins or two Greenings, two 

 Bartletts or two D' Anjous This seems to be the law of the apple and pear ; but the 

 law is not as inflexible with the peach and cherry, that often reproduce their type 

 with even but very slight if any variation. 



The conclusions which I have been led to regard as provisionally established 

 may be summarized as follows : — 



1st. Each fruit-bearing tree and plant seems inherently endowed with a certain 

 given period of life. This, however, is subject to be influenced by favourable and 

 unfavourable conditions. 



2nd. Each species and variety of fruit-bearing tree and plant seems governed 

 by conditions pertaining exclusively to its own growth, maturity and decay. 



3rd. Some fruits appear to degenerate, while others furnish but little evidence of 

 deterioration; and the latter statement applies equally to vegetables, as a class, during 



this century. . , ..^ « , j. j ^ .j_ 



4th. While there undoubtedly is a limit to the life of every plant and fruit, 



neither science nor philosophy has yet determined the data by which we can deduce 



with anv degree of accuracy the duration of life of many of the larger fruits or 



The subject, as regards each fruit, seems to be governed by separate laws and 

 conditions ; and where such infinite variety exists, it renders equally limitless the 

 extent of possible inquiry, and opens a wide field for experiments and experience ; 

 and also may be prolific in topics for discussion by the members of this society. 



1 



