The National tribune., 1883-09-13
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
SEED SAVING.


Whether Il is best Cor farmers and gardeners
70 save their own seed or make ysariy pur-
chascs depends very much apon circumstances
or rather upon the particular KIND oi seeds IN
question and tie manner If saving them. SEED
raising is a business which requires shiI ll
culture and great discriminating knoWl-
edge which can ouly be acquired by obs fNdiit
practice As a general rule II as cheaper, I'D the
long run. to buy sosds than to attempt 10 save
them this remark applies with greater force
to the seeds Of improved varieties than 10 species
which are reproduced with more certainty from
seeds IL is one OF the great arts III seed raising
to keep varieties tree TO their descriptive pecu-
Harities and vi h some kinds OF seeds TINS re-
ouiues aa aTnoGut Of attention AID labor OF
which the majority of those who purchase seeds
have bat laiat CONCEPTION. As an example
we will specify the cabbage; and IN the iirst
place we would remark that il is NOW held that
cabbage seed raised near the sea coast is always
better than that raised inland; so confident oi
this are the market gardeners around New
York that they endeayor 10 procure their early
cabbage sc5 4 from growers On the east IN At
lautic side OF Long Island. The seed rai6,r IS,
as matter o. course, very careful aS 10 the
seeds he sJEs Tor his cabbage crop; bat ia order
filat any variety sh0nld be maintained as ar
TO its perfection as possible, the crop is care
fully inspected after the plants have headed,
and al those that do not come up 10 the perfect
standard in regard TO c0mpactness, size, shape,
and time Of heading. are destroyed, and only
those which pass inspection are retained. ihe
seed dealer who acquires a reputation for care
and accuracy In this matter csu sell his seed at
highly lemunerative prices, which may be
double the amount asked by Others Tor the
same variety, bat which has been c2releSsly
and iudiscriminately saved. Varieties must
always be grown very widely apart for seed,
for 50 far as bees can fly there IS danger OF
crossing with other and inferior KINDS. vi
course any farmer or gardener who uses the
same precautions can have siI3ilar results, but
where the attempt is made 20 grow several
variiies IN one field the distinctive character
istics OF each variety cannot be maintained.
Climates have also much to do IN the matter
of seed saving. When seeds are grown IN a
climate unsuibed 10 their best maturity, they
will t,erpetuate a weak progeny. For example,
the oat plant requires a cool, moist climate for
its perfect Development; hence, seed cats grown
IN a warm, dry climate are very interior. In
countries suit, q 10 the plant it Is not difficult
10 fnd seed that viii weigh 45 lbs and more
per bushel. Vet these heavy seeds if sown in
the Middle States viii rapidly deteriorate; no
matter how carefully crops may be managed,
an annual shortage will be found both IN the
quantity and quality. In eases OF this KIND 1t
is the best economy to procure seeds from the
best localities, for 30 efforts towards acclima-
tion Will prove of any value.
But in climates entirely suited TO the growth
and full Development OF plant II IS possible
10 gradually improve its qualities, by carefully
selecting seeds from the most perfect plants
only. and this is within the reach of every per-
son who desires TO save their own seeds
Then, the question of cost may be considered.
Those who make business OF growing seeds
can do so much more adyantageously IN most
cases than the amateur in this line. We know
that there is often much complaint about bad
seeds. but in numerous instances these COM
plants have originated through bad manage
ment in sowing From long experience we can
safely state that all of our reputable seedsmen
furnish the best article that skill can command.
They could not long maintain themselves by
pursuing any other course.
DISEASES, INSECTS, AND HEALTHY VEGETATION.
The opinion IS held by many writers on the
subject, that all insect attacks on plants and
ali fungoid maladies TO which plants are sub
ject, can only be injurious, or in fact exist, on
plants which are from some canse or other,
previously diseased. In regard TO insect attacks,
we think that the opinion is not supported
by facts although, as may readily be supposed,
healthy, robust plants viii suffer less from
their attacks than those which have a feeble
vitality. When a swarm OF grasshoppers
deyastate region they destroy everything in
their course, whether healthy or unhealthy
caterpilaTs are equally Oblivious 10 the state o.
health Of the plants they devour, but there
can be no doubt that they soon render plant:
unhealthy when they attack them TO their de
etruction. With fungoid and bacteria diseases
we are Of opinion that the supposition that
these maladies are a consequence rather than q
cause is, in the main, correct. Observations
tend TO the belief that fungi only attack plants
after their organisms have become impaired
and incipient decomposition has obtained
foothold. This forms condition favorable L
the attachment and spread of mycelum, or Il
the rapid development Of the lower anima
life known as bacteria.
KILLING BLIGHT on PEAR TREES.
The Germantown Telegraph says that the fol
lowing method Of killing blight on pear trees
recommended by farmer: Cut off tn
blighted part considerably below where th
blight is perceptible; then bore hole in tn
body of the tree and put in piece of sulphur
and fill the bole with Plug of wood" 1t j
well known that If the blighted limbs OF pea
tree are amputated considerably below tn
biighted part that the tree may live for an in
definite time and never be further attacked b.
blight. This quackery about boring holes il
trees and inserting sulphur for cure OF blight
and insects should be stopped, and we are sur
prised that it should even be noticed by S
sensible paper as the above mentioned. Sui
phur is almost insoluble in water, and ma
remain In tree for century with scarcel
loss OF weight. As 10 Its being taken up IN th
sap and conveyed through the tree, it is one
the most ignorant of absurdities. 1t is-strang
that sui phur should so often enter into cure
for insects. They crawl through il and car
for it no more than if it was road dust. Th
fumes from the decomposition of sulphur b
heat is an antidote TO fungus mycelium; in il
concrete state ii is totally Intellectual.
APPLYING MANURE on THE SURFACE.
No loss of importance occurs by escape
gases from manure lying on the surface
meadows or plOwed ground. The manure ma
be spread upon the land as soon as made, fres
from the stables, without losing any sensib
portion Of ammonia by evaporation. Manul
from the yard or stable rarely contains such a
amount of volatile fertilizing matter as shoul
deter from spreading il broadcast on the surfa,
when most convenient. Unless manure is vel
rich as from granted animals, and is in 2
active state of fermentation, hot and snokin
and exhales distinct smell of hartShorn, the
can be no loss from exposure, and in any ca
the loss viii be less by spreading it over thin
than by dropping il in small heaps becau
spreading means cooling and loss of ferment
tion. But manure, when properly handle
need not suser any waste from evaporation.
moderate and regulated heating Of fresh IA
nure results il the formation Of humic aci
which secures the ammonia from loss by eva
Grafton. Surface manuring is especially e1ieC
i've on sandy soils, and a light dressing year
is far mere beneficial than heavy coatings on
III three or four years Bat the best results
sandy soils is when they are dressed with
compost OF manure and clayey muck.