A PEDIGKEE PLANT. 
A Pedigree Plant may be defined as one 
possessing the greatest number of good 
qualities of its variety in the highest perfec- 
tion, which have been accumulated 
through the habit of bud variation in plants 
by long, continuous propagation in rapid 
succession from ideal plants, resulting in 
great productiveness, health and vigor of 
foliage and loss of tendency to reversion. 
"What is Reversion? All animals 
and plants have a tendency to revert or go 
back to their wild state or take on certain 
defects of ancestors. This operation goes 
on very rapidly under unfavorable environ- 
ments and neglect. 
What is Bud Variation? All varie- 
ties of plants sport more or less. That is, 
they change from the usual type, both in 
fruit and foliage. Sometimes they are de- 
cidedly larger, finer flavored, more vigor- 
ous in every way. Then again they are 
much inferior. The general tendency is to 
go back to the wild state. Now we may 
take advantage of this and fix our ideal 
of what a plant should be and every year 
accumulate good qualities, by propagating 
successively year after year from those 
that vary in the right direction, until we 
have reached the greatest perfection. Long 
and continued selection will fix the 
characteristics in the variety so the tenden- 
cy to reversion or going back to original 
type has disappeared. By preventing over- 
bearing and consequent seminal exhaustion 
we may double the average crop with- 
out any extra fertilizing or cultivation. We 
must cease propagating from plants that 
have become permanently or partially bar- 
ren. Every plant would be loaded with fine 
large fruit unless something prevents. Lack 
of adaptability to soil, frosts and storms 
have an influence, but exhaustion is the 
great cause of failure. 
How to Select Plants. First, we 
must have a clear conception of the type, 
and habits of the plant, its weak and objec- 
tionable points, as well as the ideal we wish 
to make it. This will require much study 
and patience, but we cannot proceed safely 
until this "ideal" is firmly fixed in our 
mind. We must be able to detect the 
slightest change for the better. 
Now, having provided ourselves with a 
quantity of stakes consecutively numbered, 
we go into the berry field as soon as blos- 
soms appear to look for this ideal plant. It 
must be stocky, bright, clean and thrifty. 
Its fruit buds mUst be large, and, if a pisti- 
late, free from stamens. If a perfect flower 
and to be used as a fertilizer see that the 
stamens are large, well developed and 
perfect in form. There must be as many 
buds and blossoms as it can bring to maturi- 
ty and no more. An excessive amount of 
flowers is often a weakness to be discarded. 
If promising, a stake is placed by it. We 
select as many of such plants as possible. 
When the fruit has set we make careful 
measurements and note in our field book the 
results. We now decide as to shape, vigor 
and productiveness, and select accordingly, 
and cut off every berry except one. Bear in 
mind it is excessive seed bearing that 
produces exhaustion and this does not take 
place until ripening begins. The ripening 
of one or two oerries serves only to develop 
its powers, while all the berries would ex- 
haust it. Now we watch the ripening pro- 
cess and make the final decision and award 
the first premium for perfection in all 
points — site, vigor of foliage, form, color, 
firmness, flavor and uniform good quality. 
