IN seed-saving we may never lose sight of the principle that applies alike to every class and variety - namely, in selecting plants for seed production the most healthy must always be chosen, and these be so insulated as to have no weak plants of the same species, or even genus, in the vicinity, lest the pollen, carried on the wings of the bee, or the wings of the wind, fertilize the flowers and produce a less vigorous progeny. Vigor or weakness in the plant is hereditary, and will be transmitted as surely in the plant as with the animal. It is also important that all stock plants should be so isolated that it will be impossible for the pollen of an inferior strain, as regards quality, to come in contact with their flowers, as this would counteract all the efforts made by selection to develop a higher type. The same rule will apply as to earliness or lateness, whichever character may be desired.

In short, whatever character may be desired in the offspring, the elements must be sought in the parents. If new varieties are desired, an intermediate form of shape, color or quality of flower or vegetable, select for parents the best defined types of existing varieties - those of the most positive characters in direct opposition to each other. For instance, a cross between a pure white and a deep crimson flower will be quite likely to produce flowers distinctly marked and defined, while neutral tints, beautiful as they are, will be likely to produce others wanting in real character. The same is true with fruits. A cross between a well-defined sweet and a positively sour apple will be much more likely to give in the offspring an intermediate variety of excellent flavor than if a cross had been effected between two good varieties of similar excellence. It may be desirable to unite the strength of one plant with the quality of another in order to secure a variety possessing the properties of both.

This will be the subject of a future paper; in this we only refer to continuing of varieties that now exist.