BREEDING OF PLANTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13747, 12 May 1908, Page 3

BREEDING OF PLANTS.

——— .NEW ZEALAND EXPERIMENTS. . ' •WHAT HAS JSKKN" ACCOMI'MHHKIX • t»»r Truer,vru. —»«>• >.i!r.ksconm , Cmu-»Tcmrecir, Monday;.-" Tin; #übjcri- of plant-breeding «MptM coa« eidt'taMe .«jvjco in the Pf«tt t«»-d»jr in cwt* net.-lion with, tls-ti work to be undertaken t or» behalf of tin? Government by Dir. Cctckayn*. TKe latter, speaking to an interviewer, said , tliit during his recent botanic surrey of tho Toxtgariro National Park ho tw able to pay Si>iii" attention to the variation of the- Phono him ten.*!x in the wild state, and although well aware how extremely variable the plant was, certain -varieties growing in the neighbourhood of Karios characteristics which ho bad never noticed, before. "It is this extreme variability of the -plant -which loads one to believe," ha continued, " that considerable, changes may be brought about artificially in no very long period of time. A great deal has keftn ' done by the. Agricultural Department to bring into one place «s many varieties, especially those prized by the Maoris, aa possible. I purpose as soon a* possible to write an account of the variation in phormiutn, bringing up to date as early aa I am. able all that is available on the subject, and going into detail into thoniicroscopio . structure of the leaf, which, of course, has the strongest bearing possible, on fibre production." '• *•' The gardening contributor of the l'raw, in an article on the plant-breeding that fan been accomplished by. enthusiastic Now Zealand horticulturists, remarks that among those who are deeply interested ill the production of new varieties are ..Lieu-tenant-Colonel Rhodes, Mrs. R. • Heatori Rhodes,' Messrs.' A. K. Lowe, J. G. Davis, F. .Hugh's, all of Chrititchimh, who have given to the horticultural world new and "i distinct kinds narcissus, In Uunediu Mr. H. l'iark|; gardener for. Mr. R. Glen" dining, lias fur yea is been crossing ami . raising new kinds of pelargonium?,' and ho*' I produced a number of varieties/which lira I staudaid in character and are. considered to be a distinct advance in the allow anil decoration section. .Mr. J. Dutton, Of ('hmtchmx-h, has done excellent work, and at. the. recent show made a display of seedling chrysanthemums. Mr. das. Gray f gardener to .Mi.i. Towneud, of Christchurch, bus beOti giving some attention to raising new roses, and lias been most successful. Ills efforts have been confined mostly to tho.hybrid tea section. Among fruits good work Ins been done in the •' breeding of new kind',.;. This work, however, has been con!in>>il to two or three enthusiasts in the Auckland province. It may bp stated that Mr. , ll.' K. 'Sharp, of Vvaikuinete, has for a great) number of year? ret himrelf to breed apple* of a blight-resisting character, with all the qualities of fine flavour. and wise' and | appearance associated in the Northern province. Mr, Sharp, as a, result of many years patient labour, has produced quite a number of kinds, which not only have a, great local' mime, but are very largely grown in Australia. Mr, W. E. 'luppiatt, of Otidruhu, is another enthusiastic plant- ' breeder, and his work has resulted in a number of good things, particularly rosea of very tine quality, nectarines-, peaches, and apples'. _