The National tribune., 1884-01-10
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
FLAVOR OF FRUITS AFFECTED BY CROSSING.

FLAVOR OF FRUITS AFFECTED BY CROSSING
1t is generally known that the melon family
will cross with each other so readily that in
order TO insure the distinetiveness of any one
variety, it must be grown so far removed from
others OF its kind that there viii be but little
danger of Its becoming influenced by other
than its own pollen when in flower Market
gardeners are, therefore, particularly careful Of
saving seed from none but the best fruits and
grow them isolated from other plants of the
melon family, so that bees may not carry in
ferior pollen to the injury of the seeds. With
out these precautions the best kinds will soon
degenerate. lt was long presumed that while
crossing and hybridiziAg was well known TO
affect the seed, and the plants which would be
produced from seeds thus fertilized, yet only
OF late years has lt been recognized as affecting
the quality of fruits There seems to be but
little doubt that fruits are influenced IN this
way to greater extent than may be supposed.
How often may we pick two melons from the
same plant and find them vary in flavor to such
an extent as to appear to be two distinct varie-
ties. The same doubtless happens to the favor
OF apples and pears, as well as other fruits
which are liable to have their pollen inter
mixed when they are in blossom, and flavor
less apples and pears may be traced to this
cause. In fact, it is simply impracticable TO
determine the extent or the full effect of these
fruits or vegetables. The lessons 20 be learned
from these considerations are, first, that we
ought to avoid the culture of more than one
good variety of annual fruiting plants in the
same garden at the same time unless their
Towering periods are so far removed as not
to influence each other. An early sort may be
past its blooming state before the flowers Of
later variety have expanded, so that no inter-
mixing of pollen can take place. Aud, in the
second place, it shows how careful seed growers
should be IN procuring seeds from plants that
have not been contaminated by the pollen Of
inferior varieties or kinds And here we may
see one Of the reasons for the great differences
of prices in seed lists for it is evident that the
seeds collected indiferently can be furnished
at lower rates than can those which have been
the result of great care in their selection.
Cheapest seeds are not, therefore, always the
best.
BEST METHOD OF TREATING sTRAwBEREIEs.
Undoubtedly the way to procure certain
crop OF the largest and finest strawberries IS to
cultivate them as ii they were annual plants.
By this We mean that, after one crop. they are
plowed under just as the wheat stubble is
plowed down after the grain Is harvested It
has been well proven that the heaviest crops
OF strawberries are gathered from e-year-old
plants that have been properly treated. What
ever may be said IN favor of early fail planting.
WIN u view VI gdtutIAAS d crop the ADtOHEAE
season. such crops are not equal to those pro-
duced on plants set out In the early spring.
Neither viii the fall-planted if continued to
fruit the second year, compare with the crops
produced on the younger plants. Rotation
among fruits Is quite as important as it is with
culinary vegetables and farm crops, and no fruit
fits better for rotation, or IS more benefited by
it, than the strawberry. But in order 10 get
the best results. several important points must
be observed. The first is 70 set the plants as
early IN spring as the season and soil viii admit,
so that they may become well established and
IN condition to grow vigorously during early
summer. The second and most important of
all is TO rigidly keep runners from forming
Once week at least the plants should be
inspected and every runner cut OF as soon as
it can be seen. In this lies the whole promise
of heavy crop. Each plant will then assume
an individuality of size and strength indicative
of the best possible behavior when the fruiting
season arrives. The next matter requiring
strict attention IS that of protection during
winter wherever twenty or more degrees Of
frost are to be expected Plants thus treated
have been known to produce quart Of berries
each. After the crop is gathered the best thing
to do is to plow the plants under and follow with
other crops.
WHITE CELERY.
The perfection of celery, as eaten in the raw
great art IN celery growing IS TO produce a
heavy stalk, and at tEe same time maintain
this white and crisp condition. To produce
stalks of this character requires very rich
soil rapid growth, so that blanching which is
effected by covering the stalks from the light
/ by 'earthing up may be commenced early
enough to attain the desired whiteaess before
/ growth ceases; for the bIanching process can
/ only take place while the plant is IN z grow
| ing state. Those who first grow celery stalk,
| then remove it to dark place to blanch it,
cannot produce celery worth eating, although
! it may answer for cooking purposes. OF late
years we consider that, in many places, celery
culture has degeuerated. What is known IS
| Boston celery-short-stem bGshy-lOoking
! plants, with a small portion whitened IN the
| center-is but poor substitute for good eel
/ cry But Just as we are about regTetting that
| the art Of growing good white, edible celery
appears TO be lest, We are gladdened by the an
nouncement that gardener has obtained a
remaTkable variety. with the particular merit
! that its heart, or center, is naturally white
/ consequently no labor is required te blaneh it.
1t is only necessary to raise the plants to then
! full development, and they are ready for mar
ket, without earthing up or using any means
| for blanching. The quality is said TO be excel
| lent and it is expected 10 surpass all other va
rieties now cultivated. The name Of this va
riety is the White Plume.
PENNED UP PIGS.
never made any money out of pigs always
| shut up in a pen, and do not believe other peo-
| pie can. I have realized a profit when the pigs
| ran in clover or orchard grass field and made
a considerable portion of their growth on
grass or other cheap feed. Now, if my neigh
Dor who fed ont his old corn in the pen tC
his pigs, would calculate ahead and have q
nice range for his hogs, where they could get a
good share of their living. and then give them
a part of his corn, he would increase his profits
Well" he says, they viii not grow as fast
nor weigh so much" 1 am not sure but they
viii grow as fast. A pig likes variety of food
He viii thrive On grass alone when no other
food is provided. A pig wintered over wiz get
fat on green clover or fresh growing orchard
grass. a little grain win make proportionately
more growth when pig runs IN a field than
when it is confined in . pen. Supposing a pig
will not weigh more than half as much when
it runs out and helps itself as it would if shut
up in pen and fed ali the corn it would eat
it does not cost as half as much, and the flesh
is hundred times better food. | do not wish
to eat pigs shut up all summer in a foul pen
and stuffed with corn. 1t is an unnatural and
siekly condition for pig, which loves pure an
and the food incident to free life. He may
not weigh as much. 1t is not question o.
| weight but of health and profit IF two hun