The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-16
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
AGRICULTURE.

fruits and vegetables, but suoh work
should not be left entirely In their
hands, as it is the duty of farmers, gar
deners and fruit'growers to experiment
in such matters III order to increase the
hardness and yield of all plants that
are cultivated for profit. Perhaps the
reason why the introduction of new va
rletles Is not interesting to farmers is
because they consider tho matter as
something difficult, which, no doubt, is
true, but is us easy to them as 1t is to
seedsmen If we consider wheat, for
instance, the work of improvement con-
sists Of nothing more than the selection
of the plumpest grains from the largest
heads and best stalks, which plan, ii
continued for few years, results in q
variety better adapted to the locality in
which 1t is grown, and which will yield
more and produce better quality of
gram. Vegetables of all kinds may be
improved by tins method (selecting the
best) but even the growth, shape and
other characteristics may be changed.
The greater number OF our varieties of
fruit comes from seedlings. The apple
Is one of the best and hardest fruits we
have, the numerous varieties all coming
from the one source-the crab apple
and though each variety is distinct in
habit OF growth, shape, size and period
OF ripening, yet if we plant the seeds OF
the best OF them we may not get any
thing resembling that from Which the
seed WIS taken. The young trees may
all produce crab apples, or there may
be among them something superior to
anything heretofore known. Oiten over
ono thousand trees have been used in q
single expel III, and, among vcgeta.
bleb, certain SCOTSMAN could only find
one good potnto from 5000 plants; but
that purticulnr kind amply rewarded him
for MI tue time and labor that had been
employ Ell i'll tue task OF selection.
Fa'mers are not inclined to try expc-
rlnlcnto WITH truit trees, rs time and pa
tlSnce NE required, whilo nurscl ymen
are particular TO tuKe advantage of all
opportunities; but farmers can, at least
With Vegetables, Select the most perfect
seeds rom tho best plants. 50 far as
the Shall fruits are concerned, hey have
better oppol tunl'les, Tor 1T is not re-
Qulred to wait IL long time for results.
The strawberry cul he grown from seed
but the maj orlty OF the best kinds are
due t. ohauce seedlings, which, grow
ing III some unobseryeu locality, are uc-
cluentally discovered to be of superior
quality, and receive tho proper care nd
attention necessary TO propagation. AS
single strawberry will produce large
number OF plants from seed there can
be no possible limit to the Improvement
OF thpt berry, the only y requisite being
to trlm OIL tho seeds from tho herry dry
them Oh paper, or mix with sand, and
SOW III g." clean place. AS soon as the
young plnnts arc large enough set thom
out, nnd make careful observation OF
the growth and productivencss of the
Vine, period oi rpenlng, size, color, firm
hess, flavor and DUALITY OF tho berries.
Each plant may be different from tho
others. All may be worthless but one
and that ono may cause revolution in
Strawberries.
AS with Strawberries SO with raspbcr-
rics, bluckberrles, grapes, or even huck-
lcDerrles. Iocre Is WIDE field open
Tor tho Introduction OF a new black berry
equal to tho " iison, for it is fust dete-
lioratlnY, and Il fortune awaits the ono
who can improve on 1t, while grape.
equal to thn Concord, alld ono that Will
hot rot, Is Sure to find favor All plunts
that leprUduce themselves from the
roots, or by cutting OF tipping, send
1ortn plants that frult precisely tho
same as the pare hts, bnt when produced
trom seed u" reliability can be- placed
Oh The result, as the seed either reverts
to tho original stock or becomes the
foundation OF Il superior variety.