Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-18

| VARIETIES TO PLANT.
| From what has been already said we will un
! derstand that some soils are better adapted Il
certain varieties of strawberries, and other soil
| TO other varieties.
| The Longworth Prolific sends out its root
near the surface when properly planted The
Sharpless. Triumph de Gand. and some othel
! favorite varieties for the region of Santa Clara
root deeper, and are at home in the looser soils.
At jacksonville Santa Cruz county, there is 6
region of country where the sea breeze comes in
! to temper the air. making this second bes
| place for this fruit, bnt there as elsewhere
! special varieties must be fonnd adapted to sol
| and climatic conditions. The Cinderella has
| proved the best berry here, and is not grown In
| Santa Clara, the adjoining county.
| While Eastern writers tell us that we need q
| "gravelly, loamy soil - for the strawberry, we
| tell them that we need he soil having the re-
quisite plant food, and many other conditions.
such as irrigation, C.
SEXUAL CHARACTER OF PLANTS.
There are three distinct kinds of plants pro-
duced from seed The male plant is known as
having stamens only in place of fuit.
The hermaphrodite berry is called the perfect
plant containing the pistils and stameus.
The pistilate berry is known as having the
appearance of the undeveloped berry. 1t has
the strawberry shape, with short, hairy-like
excrescences.
The hermaphrodte has the rudimental berry
surrounded by a tier of stamens, the tips of
which contain the pollen; a fine yellow dust,
which drops the pistils, thus impregnating it
and producing the fruit. Ants and insects of
various kinds go from plant to plant in quest of
food, and carry the pollen from one plant
to the other, so that a purely pstilate variety
planted near the perfect berry will be made to
fruit
PRODUCING NEW VARIETIES.
We have shown how the unfruitfnl may be
made fruitful by the aid of the pollen. and it
will be understood that it is by the blending of
qualities in different varieties of Strawberries
that new kinds are produced. The seed taken
from the plants of different kinds growing to-
gether. or near together, may produce new
kinds inferior or superior to either of the parent
varieties.
The usual way to produce new varieties is to
select two or more kinds of superior excellence
and grow them near together. and plant the
seed of the berries produced. The stamens may
be clipped from the perfect berry II desirable,
and it may then be treated with the pollen OF
other plants, the dust being taken from one
plant to the other by means of a camel-hair
brush. The fruit taken from the plant so treated
may produce other new kinds; but 1t requires
much experimenting to produce desirable
kind, and there is no limit to the experimenting
that may be made, while there would appear 10
be no limit to the improvements in the repeated
and continued combinations of good qualities.
Of course favorable conditions for developing
good qualities are of prime importance Suita-
bic SOIL suitable climate, and suitable culture,
all exercise a controlling influence in the propa-
CATION of new varieties as well as perpetuating
them in the highest degree of perfection.
give an analysis of the strawberry plant,
made by Mr.. Bilius OF Kirkland Ohio. In lie
grains of the plant of the Garden strawberry he
found Potash, S9.l5 grains; lime, 26.5l9
grains; carbonic acid, 2S.C0s grains magnesia,
s90s grains; phosphoric acid, $50 grains; sill
lea, 6.117 grains; charcoal and sand, 3103
grams; soda, 2.79l grains: phosphate OF iron,
SIS grains sulphuric acid, 1.469 grains chic
rine, ms grains; organic matter and loss, l.7S9
grains-116 grains.
An analysis of the fruit gave: Potash, 21.O7 /;
lime. ID 20 soda. 27.01 silica, y % phosphate
of iron, Ills; phosphoric acid. $50; chlorine,
27S magnesia, trace Il per cent. ash.
later analysis of the fruit is as follows:
Water, 81 per cent; sugar, free acid, IA;
nitrogen, q; insoluable matter o. per cent. OF
which is ASH, T.
The chemist adds that the variations in these
analyses is probably mainly owing to the greater
age of the vines i'll one case than. the other;
also, that something may be due to soil and
climate.
lam aware that all scientists do not agree in
relation to the theory that plants derive food
directly through their foliage, but suggest this
for what it is worth.
marked difference in the character of the fruit
and the appearance of the plant, as all good
gardeners know. Soil strongly impregnated with
alkali viii impart a light or yellowish color to
the plants The plants will be injured by means
of the sun acting on the alkali on the surface
of the land; and they are frequently killed out
right when the hot weather comes on before
the plants have got well up from the ground.
DISEASES OF THE Plant.
The strawberry plants of this coast have only
one disease of which have any knowledge.
They are frequently affected by a fungus, or
rust have sent leaves of the plant TO Mr.. A.
Forbes, State Entomologist of Illinois. In his
answer, he writes The strawberry leaves sent
me showed no injury except that due to the
common rust He added THE chronological
fact seems to have escaped us"
/ also sent some leaves of this plant to F. s.
Earle, ESQ., an extensive strawberry grower of
Roth these gentlemen
with me hat this rust is caused with u.s. chiefly,
if not entirely, by improper irrigation may
here add, that the constitution of plants is in
jured by bad irrigation, as well as by being
grown in impoverished soil. The remedy is to
propagate from vigorous and healthy stock, and
to use due care in irrigation as well as cultiva-
ton.
STRAWBERRY BoRERs AND OTHER PESTS.
While in the East they have a wnborer,
that works down to the root we have borer
that works up from the root towards the crown.
While ours destroys the plant. theirs destroys
the crown or fruit itself, more directly.
have been in communication with Professor
Forbes in relation to these borers. sent some
directly to him in vial of alcohol. The vial
was put in a wooden case made by boring hole
in a section of broomhandle, and the package
went through the mail.
In the report OF Mr. Forbes l learn that our
root borer is very different from the crown
borer. 1t is great wonder to me that in all the
shipments of pl nts from the East we have not
SUGGESTIONS.
l will here add that if anything can be done
by quarantine regulation or otherwise to pre-
vent the incoming of any new pests, it would be
great blessing to the fusnre fruit industries OF
the Sts,e, IL such mears could be employed.
| heve thought that the great future import
ance of the fruit industry in the United States,
and especially in California, would justify the
organizing of National Bureau especially de-
voted to horticulture.
rha Aorfa nnr1n III hrDnuh
new Commissioner of Agriculture, is doing
great and good work. We have competent
United States Pomologist in Washington to
name our fruits, and do other acts of benefit to
the fruit business; but it seems to me we need
special department, to which we can not only
look for information, but from which we could
receive aid in everything that concerns the
fruit business.
The subject of berries was discussed at
length. as was also that of pruning.
Mr. Weinstock proposed to change the
third resolution of those given above, con-
corning the shipping of fruit, to read as
follows;
State Convention do hereby recommend to the
California Fruit Union that, at its next annual
meeting. to take place January 10, 1887, the by
laws of that association be modlhed SO as 70 en-
brace the following resolutions, namely:
No action was taken, but the entire mat
ter was made special order for 2 P. NJ. to-
day.
The resolutions as proposed by Mr.. Vein
stock will then be the same as originally
proposed, with the substitute for resolution
three, and the word Exchange" where
ever it occurs, will be changed to that of
" Union.n
Unsolicited Opinion of Wen-known
Teacher.
SAN Francisco, October %, 1886.
COUNTY Superintendent SolLinger, Stockton.
DEAR SIR-Permit me TO introduce w.
c. Coup, Esq, who will explain his bust