The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1875-09-11
A ,,,r;,cr in the Mem Eu1ldpd Farmer


speaking of the theory of changing the
bearing year of applc-trees by picking
off the blossoms, or the green fruit, says:
al know one farmer in Millbury Mass,
most of whose apple-trecs bear the odd
year, and he told me that they were
changed some years ago by his neglect
ing to remove the caterpillars, and they
have borne the odd year ever since.
There is also in Millbury, farmers who,
bv manuring and taking care of their
orchards, succeed in obtaining fair
crop every year. But the theory OF
changing the bearing year by taking
the CRAFTS from trees that bear only the
odd year, cannot accept, in view Of my
own observations. There are two
Baldwin apple trees on the place on
which live, which used to bear only
on the odd year. Several years ago
our apple crop failed for several success
i've seasons, and the bearing OF those
two trees became changed, and they
now bear when the others do. This
year picked the first full crop of APP
pies from several young trees that were
grated from those odd bearing trees,
with view to pcrpctuate the peculiar
itv, but they do not seem TO do 1t. There
is also a large Baldwin tree on the farm
a part of which used to bear one year
and the other part the next year. This
wear the whole tree was loaded with
fruit and do not believe it will bear ut
all next year. These arc facts and they
seem to argue against the theory OF
changing the bearing year by selecting
gratis from trees that bear only IN years
of scarcity. Indeed think that II
picking off the blossoms one year Will
make the change that fact in itself Is
evidence against the theory OF selecting
gratis in the way proposed
How TO GROW MUsHROOMs.-lt may
be of interest to some OF our readers to
know that mushrooms can I've grown in
tan. have grown them for three sue
ccssive wears, with great success, IN tan,
which had been used for hunters to
trample on through the summer and, OF
course, there is some of their manure
incorporated with the tan. The genial
heat that the tan gives renders it one of
the best matcr1aIS tnat Gun pc uSc'i iol
the growth of mushrooms. When
well beaten together with the horse
dung, and in sufficient quantity, find
the mixture more productive and lasting
than horse-duns alone. The beds arc,
in fact, masses of clumps with as many
as from 20 to 90 in each, which could bc
and were often taken up whole. Some
may ask ''docs not tan produce I'M
wholesome fungi" With me, and
used as stated, there need he no fear of
this; | have not found one spurious one.
As to flavor, they were pronounced by
those who partook of them, to he very
savory and delicate. 1t must not he in
fcrrcd that recommend tan alone, but
let quantity be put in a loose box or
any other suitable place where a horse
is shut up for time so that It's manure
is well Incorporated with the tan, and
use it when in Il good friahic state,
neither too wet nor dry; If too wet the
spawn will not run so we'll, and IT too
dry the beds will not keep in bearing so
long. NV experience lead, me to think
that tan will be much sought after when
! its qualities are more known to mush-
room growers, for | believe it to be SUI
crior to all droppings.