Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-06-05
HoRTIoULTRAL.
To 1ncrsss the Size Of Fruit.

To Incrsse the Size Of Fruit.
Professor Dubreuil points out ten
ways by which the size of fruit may
be increased; and as fruit raisers
are discovering that fine specimens
bring a higher price in city markets
these modes may be worthy of at
tention. We .condense his rules:
l. By dwarfng.
2. Thihhing the branches by pru-
ming.
3. By keeping the bearing shoots
short and near the center of the
tree, small specimens growing on
the tips of shoots.
4. Thinning the fruit.
5. Shortening in.
6. Supporting the fruit on its
stalk.
7. Diminishing evaporation from
the surface.
8. Moistening the surface with
copperas.
8. Ringing.
10. Inserting spurs of old trees
on vigorous young ones.
These different modes have vari-
GUS degrees of merit. Dwarfng, by
working on smaller growing stocks,
sometimes produces striking results.
Some varieties of the pear are
of little value except on ounce
stocks. A successful marketer of
pears has informed us that he would
propagate the Bartlett in no other
way; for although the tree might
perish after one or two crops-as
1t does not commonly endure long
as dwarf-yet the double price he
obtains for the larger and finer spec
linens, more than repays all expen-
ses.
Thinning the branches by pruning,
and thinning the fruit on the branch
es, the second and fourth modes, are
and applicable to all spe-
cies, from the currant up to the
largest sorts of apple. Crowded
shoots produce crowded and half
grown leaves, and half-grown leaves,
as natural consequence, give us
only halfgrown fruit. This mode
should always be adopted in con-
nection with good cultivation, the
most important of all modes to grow
large fruit, but omitted by Professor
Dubreuil, We have trebled the
size of the Seckel pear in a single
season, by breaking and mellowing
the whole suface beneath the trees
and have known the St. Ghislain so
much improved in flavor as well as
n size, that it would scarcely have
0een recognized.
Under the seventh head-dimin-
shing the evaporation-we are in
formed that fruits covered with
caves are larger than on the same
5ress not shaded. The increased
size of fruit grown in bottles is also
as another example, the
moist air keeping the ep-
.dermis pliable." We think anoth-
er and equally-important reason is
-he expansion of the fruit by the
increased amount of water it is thus
made to hold. Many have observed
hat Winter apples grown in dry
seasons are small, firmer, higher-fla-
yored, and keep longer than those
which grow in wet Summers. The
Increase in size is therefore at the
expense of flavor and keeping, and
le--. lmental to the value of all the
varieties. Some We
v rich or acid sorts, as the Esopus
may bear diluting.-
rhe small fruits, as raspberries,
trawberries, currants, etc, are de-
ired as large as possible, irrigation,
o supply abundant moisture, some-
lines produce very desirable effects.
We have observed Strawberries
.ouble in size in twenty-four hours,
S compared with others beside
hem, by the accidental drip from
water cart.
A case is mentioned where mois-
ening an Easter Beurre pear with
solution of copperas, from the
me it was fairly set, once a fort
light, produced "a fruit so large
hat it could scarcely be recognized.
What was the operation of the cop
eras ? Was not this result partly
occidental, at least ? 1t is easily
led. We have not very great
nth in what the darkey called
lpotekary manure"
Ringing the shoots may do well
II producing curiosities. In order
lat the callus may exude and close
p the removed bark the width of
le ring should not exceed one-ffth
an inch. This mode has been
led frequently on hardy sorts of
rapes, and the result is quite mar
ed, but as the increase in size is
sually at the expense of flavor; and
so Injuries the vine. it will not be
kelly to be much adopted.
The other Woodworking spurs,
lpporting the fruit, etc.,-wil do
here specimens for exhibition are
anted, but are not proposed for
rofit.-[Country Gentleman.