The National tribune., 1882-05-06


ries, any one of them is anything but q
natural variation, and its preservation due
to intelligent selection. The term natural
cHrjdtioa is not, perhaps very happy dis
tinction, but it is here used in the sense of
distinguishing results from planting seed
saved indiscnminately, and seeds that have
been saved from flowers which have been
artiticially fertilized by the application of
pollen from flowers other than those which
produced the seed. While the fact exists
that superior varieties may he obtained by
trusting TO natural variations as here
indicated, yet a greater degree Of success
will certainly follow the results of intelli-
gent hybridizing and crossing. In the
former case the dependence for change in
varieties IS left to chance, while III the other
it is reduced to a certainty, but in either
case the selection of the best depends upon
an intelligent discrimination of what con-
stitutes perfection, discarding all which
do not possess, or at least indicate, degree
of progressive improvement as compared
with those already existing.
CURLED LEAVES ON PEACH TREEs.-The
curl, or lear blister, of the peach tree is al
most OF annual occurrence This disease is
caused by extreme fluctuations of tempera-
tIre when the leaves are young, so that IN
seasons of uniform, or rather, equable tenn
perature, the leaves are not injured. The
present season has been very varied in re-
gard to heat and cold, 90 that we may expect
to lind peach leaves badly blistered about
the time that the blossoms fade Although
not fatal in it's effects, yet any injury to
foliage has deleterious tendency, and will
check the growth OF the shoots, and also
decrease the value of the crop. From the
circumstance that these blistered and curled
leaves afford convenient lurking places for
the aphis or green fly, these insects are gem
orally found upon them, and have given
plausible reason for attnbuting the disease
to these pests of vegetation; but as they are
not constantly present, it is evident, If evl-
dence is needed, that they are not the cause.
Some seasons no insects can be found in the
blistered leaves of the peach. There is no
remedy, so far as known, for this disease; it
can be prevented by shelter, but this knOwl-
edge cannot be rendered available in its
practical application to orchards of peach
trees. In northern climates, where peach
trees are trained to walls and other surfaces,
it is customary to hang evergreen branches
upon the trees in order to protect them from
the blistered leaf disease, and with the best
results. Parts of tree left uncovered viii
be attacked, while the covered parts will be
untouched. Similar results have been OBJ
served in the case of trees gcowing alongside
of close board fences, where that part of the
tree which happened to be protected from
the prevailing cold winds by the fence would
be uninjured, while the top of the tree not
protected would suffer severely from blister.
FLOWER BEDs.-The prevailing fashion Of
filling up flower beds with soil until they
present the appearance of mounds, is so evil
IDENTIFY opposed to the requirements of ordi
nary Towering plants in hot, dry climate,
as to excite surprise in the minds of every
person who knows anything about plant
growth. The detected appearance of the
plants thus elevated might be thought suGi-
cient to attract the attention of their owners,
and lcsd them to investigate the cause. Bat
the owners OF such plants are those who will
claim that they have no luck in raising
flowers, or will blame somebody for furnish
ing them with bad seeds or bad plants They
never think of doing what is apparent should
be done; that is, to make the surface of the
bed perfectly level.