Experimental Accuracy in Fruit Breeding

Abstract

PRIOR to 1900, pomological crops were bred and improved like other agricultural crops in a more or less empirical manner. awakened interest in a more thorough investigation of pomological plants subsequent to 1900 is reflected in the statement made by U. P. Hedrick in regard to grape breeding. The ultimate aim in this work is, of course, the production of improved horticultural varieties. Through the early days, when breeding laws and methods were less understood than now, there was a tendency to make this the immediate as well as the ultimate aim. fact that the first twenty years of grape breeding produced but one variety worthy a name served to confirm the conviction that this goal would be reached quicker by forgetting it for the time being and bending every effort to the discovery of how grape characters are transmitted. importance to agriculture of accurate fruit breeding experiments may be illustrated by a single example. Among peach varieties there are those which are characterized by a considerable amount of anthocyanine pigment in the twigs, while others lack this coloring matter and hence have green twigs. colored varieties absorb considerable heat and during the warm periods in spring the buds begin growth and hence are liable to injury during subsequent cold periods. Since the green twigged sorts are not subject to this type of injury they are more desirable in localities where cold periods occur during the year. green twigged types have been found wild in the southern mountains and have a poor quality of fruit, while the colored forms include most of the commercial varieties. recombination of such de435