The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-06-15
the cause of the canes dying before a
certain remedy can be pointed out.

w $500
Some time since the editor of this
department called attention to the con-
troversy over the question of pedi-
greed strawberry plants. The opinion
was expressed that a good deal was
claimed for the so-called pedigreed
plants that would not stand the test
of scientific investigation and further
said that pedigreed stock could only
be secured by planting the seed and
raising new plants. Our valuable ex-
change, the Oregon Agriculturist and
Rural Northwest, takes exception in a
mild and very gentlemanly way to the
views expressed in The Ranch. The
article referred to is we'll written and
presents the other side, if there is any,
in such way that we want our read
ers to see it. The article is given be-
low. The writer is not convinced that
bud variation, if there is any such
thing, is the foundation on which to
build pedigrees:
In The Ranch, F. Walden refers to the
contest among strawberry growers over
the question of pedigreed plants. We
suspect that there has been a good deal
of frOth about the claims of the grow
ers of what are called pedigreed plants,
statement, omits the point on which
growers of pedigreed plants base their
claims. Whether or not there is such
thing as bud variation is disputed but
prominent horticultural authorities be-
lieve there u.s. There is certainly much
to justify the belief that occasionally a
tree propagated from bud or scion
will show characteristics quite different
from those of the original tree and these
new characteristics will be found to
continue in trees prOpagated from it's
buds. The same principle, If 1T is
principle applies to strawberries grown
from plants started by runners. 1t is
further claimed with good deal of APP
parent justification, that those modifi-
cations in the growth of trees and
plants, propagated by grating, budding,
changes in climatic and soil conditions
do in time become SO fixed in the trees
or plants that when transferred back
to the original home Of such trees and
plants they will retain in large meas
ure for time at least the modified
characteristics which they have ac-
quired since their removal from their
original home AS we understand the
strawberry plants, it is that they have
steadily selected from plants of CIV
en- variety those which have shown SUI
perior qualities of plant and fruit and
succeeding set of plants. If there is
such a thing as a tendency to vary in
plants thus propagated, this course
would certainly result in gradual i'm
provement. The evidence that such is
the case is quite strong, and yet it by
no means justifes the strong claims
made for pedigreed plants. 1t is GER
tain that such a change must come
about very slowly for the main charac-
teristics of trees and plants remain the
same through great number of prop
agations. Selections of plants through
a series of a dozen or twenty successive
propagations should show some i'm
provement, but UNNECESSARILY less than
could be expected from selections
through that number of successive prop
agations by seed. Nevertheless the ten
dency among progressive propagators
of trees and plants is toward selection
If we were planting apple trees we
would much rather have trees of un-
usual vigor and good training than trees
from scions cut from an inferior tree
The same is true Of Strawberries. We
would prefer plants grown from select
ed vigorous plants than those grown
from inferior plants, whatever the cause
of such inferiority might be. Potatoes
AFFORD an example in point 1t is GER
potatoes do in time tend to become
than they originally were. 1t also ap-
pears well settled that potatoes of a
given variety grown in one region ac-
quire characteristics there which will
remain with them for a crop or two in
new localities. Hence potato-growers
frequently find it advantageous to Sc
ann fnAN