TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION. 
55 
formed in this way are termed adventive embryos, and, as will be seen from 
the method of their development, cannot be expected to show any signs of 
hybridization. 
In a number of cases, the speaker found that itwo or more seedlings were 
developed from the same seed, one of which clearly showed the effect of the 
male parent while seedling the others resembled the mother parent entirely. 
It is evident in such cases, that the showing characters from the male parent 
is the true hybrid, and that the others are false hybrids, being developed 
from the adventive embryos derived directly from the mother tissues. 
In attempting to obtain sorts having the quality and flavor of the common 
sweet orange with a loose, easily removed rind, like the Mandarin type of 
orange, numerous hybrids have been made between the best varieties of the 
common sweet orange and the Tangerine, China Mandarin and Satsuma. Many 
of these hybrids also show interesting intermediate characters and are of 
considerable promise. The Mandarin type of orange or kid glove orange, 
as it is commonly called, is highly prized for the ease with which the skin 
can be removed and the segments separated. The quality however, is very 
distinct from that of the common orange, and is generally thought to be much 
inferior. If by crossing the Mandarin and the common orange, a sort can 
be obtained having the loose rind and easily separable segments of the 
Mandarin, combined with the quality, flavor and texture of the best varieties 
of the sweet orange, it will prove of the greatest value as a market fruit. 
Similar problems to these confront the growers of all fruits. The pro- 
duction of varieties of apples and plums for the cold prairie regions of the 
Northwest is being accomplished along similar lines, by using hardy wild 
native species and Russian sorts in hybridization with our best improved 
varieties. 
The speaker also described certain problems in corn and cotton improve- 
ment which are being considered by the Department of Agriculture. 
A paper on “The Blueberry, its Past, Present and Future,” was presented 
by Prof. W. M. Munson, of the University of Maine, Orono, Me. 
THE BLUEBERRY— ITS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. 
BY PROF. W. M. MUNSON, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, ORONO, ME. 
The blueberries of America have been strangely overlooked alike by hor- 
ticulturists and by historians; yet there are no less than six or seven dis- 
tinct species which furnish fruit of considerable value, and as many more 
which, though of less importance, furnish fruit which may be eaten. 
Despite the great use that must have been made of the berries by the 
Indians and by the colonists in New England there are but few records 
referring to this point. Parkinson tells us that Champlain, in 1615, found the 
Indians near Lake Huron gathering blueberries for their winter store. Kalm 
speaks of the Indians drying the berries in the sunshine or by the fire for 
winter use. Roger Williams mentions “Attitaash (whortleberries) of which 
there are divers sorts ; sweet, like currants— Sautaash are these currants dried 
by the natives, and so preserved all the year; which they beat to powder 
and mingle it with their parched meal, and make a delicate dish which they 
call Sautauthig, which is as sweet to them as plum or spice cake to the 
English.”* 
*Roger Williams Key, p. 231, cited by Tuckerman, foot note in Josselyn’s New 
England’s Rarities, p. 92. 
