The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-09-17
Rndded VS.. SEEDLINGS.
rhe Fiorida Agriculturist,

in the discussion upon the relaulVe
merits of Seeding and budded or
anoes. as it has been carried on in
vonr naper. From it, l find that all
soree budded stock is true to the
bud: but l find that there is wide
difference of opinion as to how true
seedlings are to the parent. All seem
to agree they are not absolutely true;
but some say they are almost so, and
others that they are as much inclined
to sport as apples and peaches are
North. I find that the defenders
of seedlings, are, SO far as l know,
owners of Seeding groves. And
find that on each side general opin-
ions are stated, without appeal to
facts which prove the truth OF the
opinion.
which shall be in favor OF budded
stock. And what say is based on
observation and inquiry made per-
sonally in Florida.
Two objections are made to bud
ded stock; first, they. are less. able to
stand frost; second, they do not, after
few years, bear so freely as seed
lings. To the first objection MIR.
Bidwell's nursery was tous sufficient
answer, as was also some of the new
part Of Col. Harris grove at Federal
point. There are to be seen budded
trees, which (then just starting),
stood as we'll as seedlings, the freeze
of two winters since. To the second
objection, sufficient answer is found
in the fact that budded trees begin to
bear from one to three years before
seedlings. The wood growth OF all
this time is lost. If, up to the time
the seedlings begin to bear, the fruit
were removed from the budded trees,
and the trees were compelled to
make wood, we were on all sides as
sured, las seems reasonably there
would be no difference in bearing
ability between the two at the end OF
any given number Of years.
Now, a few words in the matter OF
seeding trees. Those who favor
Seeding trees refer constantly to the
Justly celebrated Dulnmitt, Hart and
Stark groves. But we cannot see
how that helps their side OF the case,
for while these groves, or the parts
which made their fame, are OF seed
ling trees, and are in the main very
sweet to the taste, no one can deny
there is no uniformity in their sweet
ness. Are apples to be divided only
into sweet and tart? Though all
Seeding oranges are sweet, they are
certainly not any more alike, necessa-
rily, than though some were sweet
and some sour. What is wanted in
a grove, as in an orchard, is the GER
tainty of trueness to some specified
desired variety in, form, flavor, size,
color, and character. l have not
been to the Dummitt grove, but GER
tainly the sweet seedlings of neither
the Hart nor Stark groves are uni
formly alike. l am Of the opinion,
from what l heard at both places,
that one accustomed to the fruit and
the tree, could, by taste, tell always
very surely, often surely, just what
tree the tasted orange came from.
1t is, we think, false idea that
many people Of Florida have, that
naturally, Florida fruit is better than
that of other countries. 1t probably
is on the average better but that re.
suits from universal choice OF bet
ter seed. In the tropics, generally,
orange trees are the result OF acct
dental growth, and are rarely cult
waited. In Florida, the seed OF Sc
lected fruit is planted and care is
given to the grove. Some are willing
to admit good seed has given Flor
ida its reputation; for good seed, on
the average, produces better results
than poor seed, no matter how much
they may sport. The seed OF Bald
l win or Rhode Island greening will
not necessarily reproduce the parent
stock, but it will, on the average, give
much better results than the seed of a
sour pippin found growing wild in the
woods, And cultivation will, with.
out doubt, help the one to which it
is given.
Does the orange seed sport This
question can be answered only by
facts. And found facts were few
as very few people was able tC
meet, could refer their seeding trees
to any one individual tree as the pa
rent. The most of people gather thu
seeds of well-known sweet oranges
and plant them without distinguish
inc them from each other, and, o
course nothing can be proved on.
L. a4l,nr rrhn most Mhicl