THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
441 
Si:i:KIiNG LARGEST TUGES 
Foresters of the United States are inter¬ 
ested in the announeenient reeently made by tin; 
Aineriean Genetie Assoeiation tliat two prizes of $100 in 
eacli have been offered for two i)liotographs—one of tlie 
largest tree of a nut-bearing variety in the United States, 
and one of tlie largest broad-leaf tree which does not 
bear edible seeds. In the first class, for example, are in¬ 
cluded trees such as chestnut, oak, walnut, butternut, 
and pecan; and in the second, trees such as elm, birch, 
maple, cottonwood, and tulip pO})lar. No photographs of 
eone-bearing trees are wanted, since it is definitely 
known that the California big trees have no rivals among 
conifers. At a later time the assoeiation may take up the 
same question as between the various kinds of conifers,- 
as pines, spruces, firs, cedars, and cypresses. 
The purpose of the competition, as stated by the asso¬ 
ciation, is to find out in what regions the native trees at¬ 
tain their largest growth, and under what conditions they 
thrive best. When these large trees are located and the 
measurements authenticated, the association hopes that 
it may be possible to secure seeds, cuttings, or grafting 
wood from thrifty trees in the region where they grow, to 
see whether finer specimens may be propagated in other 
parts of the country. It is hoped in this manner to get 
some particularly choice strains of native trees estab¬ 
lished in regions where good specimens are not now 
found. 
The Influence of Heredity 
It is assumed by the association that seed from the re¬ 
gion where the largest trees grow ought to produce larger 
and stronger trees than from regions where only small 
trees are found. By finding out where the large trees are 
and then planting seeds from them in other locations, the 
association hopes to demonstrate the practical value to 
horticulture and forestry of the laws of heredity. Now 
that reforestation is becoming a pressing problem, the 
question of seed trees which will produce particularly 
good offspring is naturally coming to the fore. 
Other influences, of course, will have a bearing on the 
subject, and the results of the investigation may help to 
settle the question as to whether trees can be acclimatized. 
Even if they can not be, there may be cases where trees 
in a new environment may make better growth than the 
best in their native range. This is said to be true of cer¬ 
tain of the Australian eucalypts, and of the Monterey 
pine which does not amount to much in its native location 
in California but has proved of great value in New Zea¬ 
land. 
The federal forest service has conducted some studies 
along this line and has discovered, for example, that the 
Douglas fir of the Rocky Mountains and the Douglas fir of 
the Pacific Coast, while the same species, have different 
characteristics and will produce trees like the parent 
stock, modified somewhat, however, by environment. For 
example, if the two forms are planted together, during 
the earlier period of its life at least the Pacific Coast 
form will make a larger and stronger growth than the 
Rocky Mountain tree, provided it is not affected by ad¬ 
verse local conditions. 
Several other questions, sufch as the climatic require¬ 
ments of trees grown in different localities, will, of 
course, enter into the final solution of the problem. It 
has been found in Germany, for example, that the Pacific 
Coast form of Douglas fir is not as hardy as the Rocky 
Mountain form, which has to endure in its native habitat 
severe extremes of temperature, and German foresters 
have been working to discover a strain of Douglas fir 
which will combine, as far as possible, the hardiness of 
the Rocky Mountain form and the large size of the Pacific 
Coast form. 
Trees Are Fastidious 
Some authorities go so far as to say that even the in¬ 
genuity and perseverance of man are unahle to induce 
trees to change their habits far enough to ado])t a country 
not closely like their native habitat. 
This fastidiousness in the habits of trees has its good 
and its bad sides, they say. It absolutely limits the for¬ 
ester’s choice of trees to grow in a given region. Rut, on 
the other hand, there is practical certainty of results. If 
lieech or spruce thrives where the average warmth and 
moisture of the growing season from year to year ranges 
between certain degrees, then wherever else the same 
average is found, in the northern hemisphere at least, the 
forester may plant beech or spruce, whether or not they 
are already there, with confidence that they will flourish. 
The announced purpose of the Genetic Association is 
to bring about the dissemination of seed or stock of the 
best specimens, when found, to demonstrate, if possible, 
the value of heredity in tree growing. The contest for 
the $100 photographs is announced to end on July 1, 
1915, on which date, says the secretary of the Genetic As¬ 
sociation in Washington, the offer will terminate. 
WHY NOT IN THE UNITED STATES? 
According to “Daily Consular & Trade Reports” the 
free distribution of seeds and plants in the Philippines is 
to be discontinued as soon as the present stock runs out. 
Seed testing by the bureau has passed the experimen¬ 
tal stage, and it is now known that a large variety of veg¬ 
etables and garden plants will thrive in different parts of 
the islands; in fact, the number is greater than was at 
first believed. The practice of distributing seeds free 
grew up in the early life of the bureau, when it was ne¬ 
cessary to ascertain just what varieties of vegetables or 
flowers would flourish in the islands. 
The Government has also arranged to discontinue the 
ornamental plant business, as soon as practicable, and 
leave the field to private firms. The city of Manila at 
present maintains gardens from which ornamental 
shrubs, plants, and trees are sold. This enterprise was 
begun by the city before there were private producers, 
but private growers have established gardens and are 
now prepared to supply the island demand for such pro¬ 
ducts. The Government will confine itself to the impor¬ 
tation and testing of new species and varieties which, 
when proved satisfactory, will be offered for sale. 
Members of Congress in the United States will send 
this year 75,000,000 jiackages to their constituents at a 
cost of something like $260,000. 
It hardly seems possible that the Government of the 
Philippines has any connection with that of the United 
States. Which is the most progressive? 
