TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 73 



Many varieties have two or three superior qualities, but wofully lack 

 in many others; some have a very weak and imperfect root systen, no 

 matter on what stock they may be grafted; others have scanty foliage, 

 which readily falls a prey to drought or to fungous or insect enemies. 

 Others are especially subject to blossom blight by late spring frosts, 

 parching winds, or rain; still others, though bearing the best of fruit, 

 are so sparing of it that they are outstripped by others of less value. 

 Numerous other faults are too well known to all observing fruit-growers. 



The fruit-grower of to-day is strictly a manufacturer and should have 

 the latest and best improvements. The manufacturer of pins and nails 

 would not long tolerate a machine which failed to produce pins and 

 nails every other season, or one which produced even occasionally an 

 ill assorted, rusty, unmarketable product. And revolutionary as it may 

 at first thought appear, there is no good reason for permanently produc- 

 ing poor fruit, for in time new trees will be produced which will produce 

 good fruit with the utmost regularity and precision. Of course, there 

 never can be one variety which will be the best for all purposes, but it 

 is perfectly possible to produce varieties which, for their own special 

 use, can be relied upon to produce full crops of the best fruit without 

 fail; all this must be done by careful selection and breeding. 



With our present knowledge more advancement can be made in ten 

 years than could be obtained in as many centuries by the usual custom 

 for ages past of selecting chance seedlings as they- appear here and 

 there. Professor Bailey truly says: "Intelligent selection, having in 

 mind an ideal form, is man's nearest approach to the Creator in his 

 dealings with the organic world"; and Darwin, that "The key is, man's 

 power of accumulative selection." Both might have said combination 

 and selection, for in practical field work it is first necessary to combine 

 the best qualities of two or more species or varieties before selection can 

 ever be of much value. When the combination has been judiciously 

 made, the work of centuries can be done in as many years; and with 

 the further knowledge that when an organism is removed from its old 

 restraining agencies and given every advantage in the new ones, all 

 variations have an opportunity of asserting themselves, the work 

 becomes still more simplified in the hands of the operator. 



By the application of these well-known scientific facts to practical, 

 everyday field work, results" have lately been obtained which are noth- 

 ing less than astounding, and we may expect to see as great advance- 

 ment in the production of horticultural wonders as has been seen in 

 the mechanical and chemical application of electricity 



By request I here discuss the merits and defects of some of my own 

 fruit productions and introductions. Among the first plums which were 

 imported and introduced from my establishment, Abundance, Burbank, 

 Sweet Botan, and Satsuma are the best known. 



