Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-08-13
AGRlGlI j TURAb,
Seeding Strawberries.

Mr. Fuller, of Long Island, recently gaze
an interesting account of his labors in pro
curing seedlings. He said
In attempting to produce new variety
Of strawberries from seed, 1t should FIRST be
decided what are the qualities desired, and
then, by selecting two varieties that possess
these qualities as near as may be, and by
fertiliziDg one with the other, we can come
nearer to the object in view than We could
by sowing seed collected indiscriminateiy
from varieties not properly tertilized
For instance, let US take the Wilson,
which is very prolific, quite large, and hrln'
but is rather acid, aud too dark color, with
a calyx that does not part readily from the
berry. and the Peabody, which Is not pro
life. though large, and is of superior color,
and sweet, and has calyx that parts read
ily.
Now, let US place these two varieties at
some distance from other varieties, but in
close proximity to each ether, so that they
can be the more readily operated upon
When they come into bloom we remove the
stamens from as many flowers as desired,
and then with fine camePs- hair pencil take
the pollen from the other variety, and dust
it over the pistils of the flower from which
the stamens have been removed. It's we'll
to place a fine netting over the plant ope-
rated upon, to prevent insects from tertIll-
zing it with pollen from inferior varieties.
The flowers should have the pollen ap-
plied several times, a few hours between
each application, so that the fertilization
shall be complete. It is well to use both
varieties as parents, and fertilize the Will
son with the Peabody, and rice versa, as it
cannot be determined which will produce
the best until proved by actual experiment.
[ do not mention the Wilson and Peabody
believing them to be the best to raise seed
lings from, but only to illustrate the prln-
ciple From my own experiments with
them I have been somewhat disappointed,
for nine tenths of the seedlings from the
Wilson fertilized by the Peabod were more
acid than the parent, although succeeded
in getting the color, and some of the other
characteristics of the Peabody. But using
the Peabody as the parent, have had bet
ter success-getting better colored berry,
sweeter, and some plants that were quite
prolific, with almost invariably the long
neck, which is peculiar characteristic of
the Peabody.
Any two varieties of the same species,
or two distinct species (unless too far re-
moved, like the Alpine, which believe
will not hybridize with any of the others
may be brought together and valuable va
rieties grown from the mixture.
But it must be remembered that the va
rieties now in cultivation have been so mix
ed and cross fertilized that it is almost i'm
possible to get true cross between any
two varieties.
The effect of fertilization Of previous
generations will sometimes show itself when
and where least expected Sometimes the
best results will be obtained by merely SOW
ing seeds of any good variety, trusting to
its inherent good qualities being transmit
ted to the offspring.
From the Austin [ have got seedlings all
of which resembled the parent, but were
inferior; and | have noticed that all of this
class, such as the Downer, Iowa, Charlton,
Georgia, Mammoth, &C., are very likely to
produce varieties no better than the wild
Western berry from which they evidently
all originated. 1t is very easy to get large
variety from this class, but seldom good
one. From the Bicton Pine I have grown
large, sweet orange-colored fruit, but, like
the parent, unproductive.
From the Oscar, which is a poor grower,
| have produced fine growers, and those
that were moderately prolific; but the fruit
was sweet and dry.
The results of some of my experiments
are exceedingly curious, such as producing
five distinct varieties from the Bartlett, all
of which had entire leaves, not lobed. They
were very similar to those described BY
Duohesne as raised by him at Versailles in
l761, and called the Monophylla, it being
just 100 years $50 tar as I have been able
to learn) since the first one-leaved straw
berry was grown until the second was fruit
ed by me in 1861. But neither were of
any value, except as botanical curiosity.
From the Iowa | produced fve-leaved
variety, and one with leaves having beau.
tiful silver stripe, but of no value to the
.cultivator
To Measure Haystdcks.-Says an old