The herald., 1894-06-24
NOTES ABOUT THE RANCHES,
Typical Facts About Southern
California Farms.
Mr.. Thomson of Duarte Gives the
Origin of His New Orange.
Japanese Oranges ,eping Eggs by
GIazing-Figs-Lsmo Culture
in Italy-An Apricot
Sale-Notes.

variety OF the navel orange, which was
illustrated in the Rural Press of May
30th of that year, says the Pacific Rural
Press. He did not desire at the time to
disclose the process" by which he Sc
cured the improvement, but to meet a
great pressure of inquiry, he stated that
1t was secured by budding one variety
into another, buds from this growth into
smother, etc. Naturally there was much
incredulity shown as to the efficacy OF
this process, for horticulturalista were
not disposed to grant an influence Of
stock upon scion to that extent. We
have just received letter from Mr..
Thomson, in which he acknowledges
that his explanation of his process was
only q half-truth, and that he sympa-
thised with the views of his critics, but
he did not desire at that time to explain
further. Three years have elapsed, and
now he states that he makes clean
breast of the matter. In his letter to
the Rural, dated June Sd, he writes as
follows:
In the boxes of oranges which send
you, you will find two pieces OF orange
wood, each with a waxed wrapper around
it. Remove the wrapper and use a
magnitying glass upon the bud which
you will see inserted in the usual man
ner. Look carefully at this bud and you
will see, by the split through it length
wise, that it ia composed OF two half
buds of the same size. put together and
inserted as one, waxad over, after being
conceived to fit the convex side of the
stock and conceived little also in the
split SO ss to bring both edges OF the
germ together closely. This has to be
done Of course with very thin, sharp
knife. Now say, for instance, that one
Of the above half-buds is Washington
Navel and the other half a st. Michael.
These grow together and form one shoot.
From this shoot next season take buds
and from Malts blood take buds of equal
size and maturity; eplit and unite these
halves as one bud, fit them we'll and
neatly together, wax over lightly and
cover with wax wrapper. String will
not do, as the buds dry out. Next sea-
con again take buds from this new
growth and halve them with half-buds
of Mediterranean Sweet. Here, then.
you get a growth which includes all the
varieties named.
At the end OF three weeks from bud.
ding the wrapper has to be removed and
the buds examined with magnifying
glass. II the union is complete at the
crown of the germ, return the wrapper
to exclude sun and air until the bud
starts to grow. Sometimes only one
half the bud starts to grow all such
should be cut out and the budding done
over again. Sometimes both halves die
or both halves grow separately. Then
it is to be done over again on q new
place in che stock. There ought to be at
least 30 buds OF the same combination
put in at the same time to cover fail
ures.
Mr.. Thompson's inserted buds are just
as he describes. 1t ia high style of
budding. but it is perfectly feasible if
the manipulation ia skillful and careful
enough. We believe it ia not a new
thing, except in its application to the
orange. but go far as we know he is the
first to apply such manipulation to the
orange with the purpose OF producing
new varieties. The secret in the prae-
tical operation lies in the matching OF
the half buds and the covering to ex-
clude air.
Mr. Thompson's explanation is that
he produced his variety of the navel
orange by close intermarriage OF the
wood Of the varieties be used. The grow
ing together OF the bud potentialities OF
each would theoretically result in some
sort of combination of the character
istio OF both factors. Practically he
claims that the Thomsop navel is one OF
the outcomes of Huch process Of what
may be called bud grating, or the use
of bud formed by the grating together
OF two half buds of different pedigree.
What have our expert horticulturRlists
to say about that?
KEEPING EGGS BY GLAZING.
A French naturalist has been expert
ment on eggs with view to discoveri g
O means for keeping them fresh TO O
long period, and he assures us that he
has Matched chickens from eggs kept for
over two years by his process. His
method is simple and consists in dissolv-
ing some gum-lek in a sufficient quahti-
ty of alcohol to make slight glaze. Into
this each egg is dipped, and when they |
are completely dry they are packed in
bran or sawdust, taking care to place
the large end upward. When the eggs
are wanted the glaze must be carefully |
with some alcohol, and they
will be found in the same state as when
they were enveloped. The rationale of
this process consists in intercepting the |
cir and preventing it penetrating the |
shell.
AS is generally known, the eggshell is
perforated by a myriad of small pores,
which can only be perceived by the aid |
of microscope. Through these pores,
day by day, the slbumen inside the egg
eVaporates, and its place ia taken by air. |
When the egg is full fluid passes con-
stantly toward the pores and is the prin-
eiple agent OF corruption, the corruption
being manifested more rapidly in warm
than in cold weather. An egg absolutely
fresh ia entirely full, but in the stale
esgs nave ali an empty space in proper
tlo1 to their age, caused by the loss OF
albumen by evaporation.
By the above system of glazing this
evaporation ia prevented and the germ
Of the egg being protected from the cor
Eupting influence of the air, retains its
vitality for a long time.
JAPANESE ORANGE VARIETIES.
Mandarin and Taneerine have come
TO be the accepted names in the
market of two varieties of citrus nobilis,
D species which differs from the COM
mon orange Ia the more dilIuse manner
OF it's growth, narrow leaves and wing
leas petioles, and especially in the fruit,
which ls, as rule, smaller and fatter
Rt the ende, with the rind loosely at
tached to the dfyise caTpele, which are
not 60 numerous az in the common or
ange and separate more easily. The