BY SEED. 
3 
laws, which greatly assist us in this process of amelioration. 
Let us therefore examine the subject a little more in detail. 
In the wild state, every genus of trees consists of one or more 
species , or strongly marked individual sorts ; as, for example, the 
white birch and the black birch ; or, to confine ourselves more 
strictly to the matter in hand, the different species of cherry, 
the wild or bird cherry, the sour cherry, the mazzard cherry, 
&c. These species , in their natural state , exactly reproduce 
themselves ; to use a common phrase, they “ come the same” 
from seed. This they have done for centuries, and doubtless 
will do forever, so long as they exist under natural circumstan- 
ces only. 
On the other hand, suppose we select one of these species of 
fruit-trees, and adopt it into our gardens. So long as we culti- 
vate that individual tree, or any part of it, in the shape of suck- 
er, graft, or bud, its nature will not be materially altered. It 
may, indeed, through cultivation, be stimulated into a more luxu- 
riant growth; it will probably produce larger leaves and fruit; 
but we shall neither alter its fruit in texture, color or taste. 
It will always be identically the same. 
The process of amelioration begins with a new generation , and 
by sowing the seeds. Some species of tree, indeed, seem to re- 
fuse to yield their wild nature, never producing any variation 
by seed ; but all fruit-trees and many others, are easily domesti- 
cated , and more readily take the impress of culture. 
If we sow a quantity of seed in garden soil of the common 
black mazzard cherry, ( Cerasus avium ,) we shall find that, in the 
leaves and habit of growth, n any of the seedlings do not entire- 
ly resemble the original speci *«. When they come into bearing, 
it is probable we shall also find as great a diversity in the size, 
color and flavor of the fruit. Each of these individual plants, 
differing from the original type, (the mazzard,) constitutes a 
new variety ; though only a few, perhaps only one, may be su- 
perior to the original species. 
It is worthy of remark, that exactly in proportion as this re- 
production is frequently repeated, is the change to a great va- 
riety of forms, or new sorts increased. It is likely indeed, that 
to gather the seeds from a wild mazzard in the woods, the in- 
stances of departure from the form of the original species would 
be very few ; while if gathered from a garden tree, itself some 
time cultivated, or several removes from a wild state, though 
still a mazzard, the seedlings will show great variety of cha- 
racter. 
Once in the possession of a variety , which has moved out of 
the natural into a more domesticated form, we have in our 
hands the best material for the improving process. The fixed 
original habit of the species is broken in upon, and this variety 
which we have created, has alwaj’s afterwards some tendency to 
