The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-01-31
Improvements Of Vegetables.

improvements OF vegetables.
But for the continued efforts of enter
prising scotsman and horiculturists our
vegetables would gradually deteriorate
and revert to the original varieties from
which they were produced. Farmers
and gardeners who do not make special
ty of improvement can form no estimate
of the time, patience, care and labor re-
quired in the production of new varie-
ty, nor of the numerous failures that oc-
cur before the variety is deemed worthy
of place among others.
The tomato, which nearly rivals the
apple in smoothness aud frmness, was
almost despised half century ago; but
the Trophies, AGNES, Projections and
Paragons of our garden Vegetables.
MIR. Livingston, who gave us the
Acme, Paragon and Perfection, began
his work of improvement thirty years
ago, anu, after selecting seed from the
choicest for ten years, was but little
nearer the accomplishment, of his pur-
pose than when he began: but be did
not despair and made new experiments,
finally determining to select his seed
from the smallest but best formed and
smoothest specimens. He was led to
adopt this plan by observing that the
small specimens were uniformly of bet
ter quality, than the larger: Having
gained quality he gradually increased
foundation he had less difficulty in origi-
mating others. He was compelled to
grow his tomatoes at distance from
inferior kinds, for a large number of
failures arise from overlooking this pre-
caution in saving seeds. The efforts of
Mr.. Livingston extended over a period
Of thirty years, with no patent to pro.
tect his improvements. and vet the
value of his efforts to the farmers and
gardeners cannot be estimated Had
every farmer been as determined as he
in perfecting crops Of Vegetables and
fruits the value of our agricultural pro-
auctions at present could not be
computed.
The valne of the wheat crop of this
country has been increased millions of
dollars by the patient selection of few
choice heads Of wheat annually by Mr..
Fultz, Of Lancaster country, Pa.-not
that the Fultz wheat is at present more
extensively cultivated than any other,
but it opened new era in wheat select
ion and improvement, and laid the fcun.
dalton upon which our varieties Of wheat
have been elevated to the highest STAN
dard of excellence and prollfcness. In
like manner the careful selection of
seed corn has made possible the heavy
yield of 100 bushels or more per acre.
Gregory, with his close and constantat-
tention to the work of vegetable i'm
provement, gave us the Hub ard squash
and Marblehead cabbage, while Rogers,
with his annual new varieties of grapes,
and Goodrich, with his experiments at
potato improvement, have been inval-
liable service to the country. Lawton
with so insignificant a fruit as was the
blackberry at the time he began his ex-
periments, opened a new field in fruit
growing. Had it not been for patient
and persistent efforts, after many dis
couragements, we would not to-day pos
sess the Bartlett pear, Craw-
ford peach, Concord grape, nor
Sharpless strawberry. The Acme, Par
agon, and Trophy tomatoes would be
unknown but for careful selection, and
we would have no Early Rose, Peach
blow, Snowflake and Peerless potatoes
but for repeated and persistent exper-
iments.