Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-10
NrItteu Tor L he EVENING StAH.
FARM AND GARDEN.
About the Seeds Of Flowers,
Fruits, and Grains.

Fruits, and Grains.
The excessive moisture of this summer has
done considerable mischief in connection with
seed production. A great deal Of the seed will
prove very infertile if collected, and one
should be very careful in selecting, either for
home use or for the market, the seeds Of
flowers, fruits or grains. Excessive wet or
drought are the two chief difficulties to be en-
countered IN seed growing; but fortunately for
the ordinary farmer and gardener he
does not have to make his own col
lection of seeds. Reliable seedsmen can
be found now where the best seeds can be
procured. Still, every cultivator of the soil
| saves a few seeds of some choice variety Of
plants and others depend upon their own seeds
for nearly all of their crops 1t should be re-
| membered by those that II takes a long sum-
mer to enable most plants to perfect their seed
| crop, and short summer or inclement weather
will often make all Of the labor involved abor-
| rob most seeds of their fertility and make them
unfit for planting. In gathering the seeds this
| year close examination of the seeds and pods
should be made. All pods that have become
unduly enlarged by the wet should be rejected
| Those that have damp moulds or black, decay
| ing spots on their under side should likewise be
pulled off and destroyed. Shriveled pods are
| also unsuitable.
POD AND SEED.
II the pod appears all right outside the seed
inside is generally good, but after q long wet
spell Of weather the seeds in perfect pods are
sometimes worthless. So much much moisture
has been absorbed by the pods that the seeds
become bloated and infertile. When the water
evaporates they will either shrivel up or begin
to decay. Such a season as this every pod
should be burst open on one end and the seeds
inside inspected. II they are soaked with
water, little mouldy or full Of tiny black
spots, 1t Is useless to save them. Accept only
those that are perfectly sound. 1t usually
takes two or three years to recover from the
effects Of one bad season for seed production,
for great deal of poor seed will be put on the
market the following spring. Too much care
fulness in this direction cannot be taken, not
simply by the gardeners but by the seed grow
spring but that is all the more reason why
| only the best should be purchased
A. B. BARNETT.
Gooseberries as Shrubs and Fruit.
Owing to mildew successful cultivation Of the
gooseberry is very difficult in sections of the
east The bushes grow vigorously, and they
also blossom and set fine crops of fruit; but the
latter become covered with thick brown mil
dew or scurf when they are scarcely q quarter
grown. II the beauty Of the fruit is desired
| more than quantity, the fruit should be thinned
| out after the berries have attained considerable
size, leaving only the finer fruits on the bushes.
II the roots are kept cool and moist by the
methods suggested and the fruits thinned ont,
fine gooseberries may be grown. The bushes
| then can be trained 80 as to be ornamental as
well as useful as producers. The fine large
| gooseberries ripening in the sun will only en-
ornamental purposes, ~ well as for useful,
| tiles should be used around their roots instead
Of salt-hay or sea-weed. II grown as q shrub
trim it out down to the main stem, pruning OF
all the superfuous young shoots. The object
| is to make only one stem, which will make
compact, ornamental shrub or bush. Training
the bushes on a lattice-work or espaller IL also
beneficial TO the bushes, and a work which
allows the display Of considerable taste and
genius. GEo. WILSON.
Border for Apricots.
II apricots are planted closer together than
peaches they are not 30 liable to perish from
sunstroke, their own branches making shade
that protects them from the heat The dis
lance should be from 10 to 20 feet, and dwarfs
may be planted even closer. In training and
pruning the apricots it should be remembered
that IT fruits upon the new shoots and upon
the spurs Of the preceding year. It Is thus q
dual bearer, and different framework must
be made for it than for the peach. Room must
be made for the young wood OF last year aud
for the new spurs Of this, which can be
sans ;rr'''.s5ay ''n @sSss.us ss
branches q good distance apart Prune
away the rest Of the branches, and a. these
main ones radiate form new, well-balanced
ribs. This is TO keep good supply OF last
years growth bearing. The intermediate
spaces can then be filed in with young shoots.
This viii give the greatest number Of spricots
to the square foot that one can get from . tree.
The young shoots will bear the bulk OF the
fruit, and for this reason it is policy not to
keep too much of last years growth. The
young spurs need constant pinching and re-
pinching during their early growth in order to
prevent waste Of force. II one stops closely,
trains thinly and allows all his young growths
to 60, winter pruning with the knife win not be
needed TO any extent. 8. W. CHAMDxnA
Among the Orchard Trees.
During August and September one should not
forget to look around the base Of the trees for
borers. Kill them this year and prevent rapid
sharp instrument to scrspe around the trunks
70 look for them and II hole 10 discovered .
strong piece of wire viii easily kill them. In
gathering the fruit Of apple, peach, and pear
trees the greatest care should be taken NOT 70
| break or injure the limbs. Il il always the
best limb OF tree that breaks first
for IL 10 usually weakened By the heavy load OF
fruit which it bears A few trees may be
budded at this time, and COED bud viii often
good buds from good trees. A bud from peach
tree suffering from the yeliows viii destroy q
good stock in q year or two. The buddiug
should be done before the cap ceases TO hov.
otherwise good catch viii not be obtained
z. p. ssuTR.