The leading principle, however, is clearly indicated, and anyone who
studies with care his method of working, may confidently attempt to
improve the varieties of his own locality in the same way.
This great principle of "variety-testing," as it has been founded by Le
Couteur and Patrick Shirreff, has increased in importance ever since.
Two main features are to be considered here. One is the production of
local races, the other the choice of the best starting-point for
hybridizing experiments, as is shown in California by the work of Luther
Burbank in crossing different elementary species of _Lilium pardalinum_
and others.
Every region and locality has its own conditions of climate and soil.
Any ordinary mixed race will contain some elementary forms which are
better adapted to a given district, while others are more suitable to
divergent conditions. Hence it can readily be inferred that the choice
cannot be the same for different regions. Every region should select its
own type from among the various forms, and variety testing therefore
becomes a task which every [117] one must undertake under his own
conditions. Some varieties will prove, after isolation, to be profitable
for large districts and perhaps for whole states. Others will be found
to be of more local value, but in such localities to excel all others.
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