The Portland daily press., 1869-03-06
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Saturday Morning, March 6, 1869,


NJ "a recent meeting of the "New York
Fruit Growers Club" question came up for
discussion in relation to a resolution which
had been offered at a previous meeting. .urp-
ing "the powers that be" at Washington IN
enlarge the Bureau of Agriculture into full
Ter department, or to confer on the Commits
sion of Agriculture more comprehensive pow
ers, so that the rapidly increasing interests ol
| the fruit culture may receive that attention
at the hands of the National Government to
which they are entitled. This is movement
in the right direction. The Agricultural De.
partment is independent in certain sense,
but its appropriations are not only limited,
but also confined to specific objects. True,
the Department is willing to foster by all the
means in its power, the growing interests Of
fruit culture, but its powers are too much linn
tied to be so useful as they might be in rela-
tion to this subject. The right, and duty, of
societies to present and urge measures for i'm
provement is conceded, and If the depart
ment has not now the means TO accomplish
any special object which may be urged upon
it, there is possibility and indeed, proba-
bitity, that the requisite powers and facilities
may be obtained, so that the cultivation of
fruit may hereafter receive more attention
and substantial aid.
At this meeting another subject was also
discussed which the owners of gardens, as
well as farmers generally, would do well to
heed. 1t was contended that nearly all the
gardens in the country lack one important
element, viz: pure seed. No doubt it is true
that there are honest seedsmen in all our
large cities, but then it may often happen
that mistakes will be made and bad seed be
offered in the market which may be supposed
pure, and the only course for those who plant
and SOW is to grow the seed themselves, and
then Ithey will have the best evidence of its
quality. While the garden and farm crops
are growing, the best specimens of each vege-
table should be left unplucked and allowed to
mature its seed. Let this seed be carefully
saved, and the next season plant that alone.
Let it most be mixed with other seed gathered
from inferior plants.
Save the best beet, the most thrifty carrot,
the most luxuriant hill of corn, the fairest
potatoes for seed another year, and so on
through the whole catalogue of plants and
vegetables. Pursue this course from year to
year, and always select the most thrifty and
vigorous for seed-bearing, and you will inn
prove your crops which will be earlier, larger,
and better. Depend upon it home grown
seeds are decidedly the best and surest, if the
above directions are followed. 1t is very bad
husbandry to plant poor seeds; for, by pursu-
ing such course, your crops will deteriorate.
1t is an memorable law of nature, and no
farmer or gardener can save himself from its
penalty unless he exercises some philosophy
in managing his affairs.
1t is so in relation to domestic animals. If
the best specimens are saved for breeders,
stock will be improved, but if no regard is
paid to a selection for breeding purposes, an
imals will deteriorate. Good breeds may be
run down by such management, and poor
breeds greatly improved by selecting the best
for breeding. 1t requires care and attention
to do anything well, and it is not very mar
vellous that many prefer to purchase their
seeds of some dealer and save the trouble of
raising them; and the careless farmer will
not take the pains to improve his own stock
but let it run down. But common sense di-
rects to different course, and its teachings
ought to be needed.
As the season for planting peas is
close at hand, the question arises in
the mind of the gardener, which
is the best variety2 Mr.. Williams, a
member of the above mentioned club, thinks
the Daniel O'Rourke is the best, and as early
as any new pea, and decidedly better than
most "extra earlies." The Tom Thumb is
dwarf pea but very productive. The white
marrow is an excellent variety, both for the
field and the garden. The farmers and gar
deners in our vicinity have learned from
their own experience which varieties are the
earliest and most profitable; but there are
some brought into our market every season
but little better than wooden ones. 1t is to
be hoped that our Cape Elizabeth friends
have saved their own seed, and will not be
compelled to run 10 the stores to buy it. 1t is
much cheaper, as well as surer, to save seed
than to purchase it, and it has been neglect
ed in years past. Let all give attention to it
the coming season.
The doctrine of hybridism in fruits is now
pretty well established, and hence the impor-
tance of preserving good variety in its pris-
tine purity. 1t is said that the character of
one variety of strawberry will be affected by
growing in the vicinity of other kinds, and
the probability is that peas are more or less
under the same influence. We all know how
readily corn win mix because the fact is pat
ent to all eyes, and squashes have become so
much pampkinized that many varieties, once
excellent, are hardly so good as pumpkins.
In fact we are not sure that pumpkins have
not suffered deterioration by being mixed
with squashes so that cross impregnation
in these cases works injury rather than good.
1t seems to US that in years past pumpkins
were decidedly better than they ale now and
we know that some of the very best varieties
of squashes have lost their good qualities.
Thus it will be readily seen how important it
is that those who raise their own seed should
guard against hybridism.
A New Yorker who has practiced grating
for half a century is of the opinion that ap-
| Piles and other fruits are often changed in
their quality by cross impregnation. He
thinks the fact that some winter apples do
not keep is due to their being grated on
stocks of early varieties. This is an impor-
tant question and worthy of discussion and
investigation. He says he never knew any
difficulty in the keeping of winter fruit
where the orchard was all of one kind, but
when early and late sorts were growing to-
| gether, late fruit was made early, and early
| fruit was rendered late, and these consequen.
ces come from cross impregnation. He men
tions tree in Saratoga county which was in
part grated with sweet variety, but the
gratis bore sour apples for several years; the
gratis of the sweet apple had been put into
the lower limbs of a sour apple tree, and as
long as the upper limbs of the original tree
remained, the sweet gratis bore sour fruit, but
when these upper limbs were removed and
no longer dropped their blossoms on those
below, then sweet apples were produced.
This was pretty strong demonstration oi
the power of cross impregnation. This New
Yorker mentions other instances of similar
character which have fallen under his ooser-
| vation.
This subject is one not only OF sclentlnc
interest, but of great Importance to iruit
growers We have all observed that variety
| .. -. >. ot the same even in not widolr