The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-18
PLANTS AND SEEDS.
INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT
FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES.

titles OF Some Kinds Used Annually.
Tho cultivation of plants for seeds kas
assumed such enormous proportions in ro-
cent years that, as practiced under tho In
tonso systems of tho present day, the occu-
patton combines both an art and a science.
Tho original individuals of almost every
garden vegetable and every garden flower
have been trained from wild state, i'm
proved through cultivation and patient
selection.
Tho garden cabbage serves as good H.
lustration in this respect, for hero wo have
tho highest cultivated typo of useless
plant that is still found growing in wild
state upon the kcntish cliffs, and yet, II
this pedigree form were not carefully
guarded while in the hands Of tho expert,
it would DO only too ready to revert back
to it's original condition.
AS an example of tho operation of cross
breeding, which has had SO much to do
with the Improvement of the ordinary
species, wo will take tho garden pen. Tho
operator, wo will say is anxious to obtain
n variety with pods rs long as that popular
sort called Telephone, only that no
wants it two feet shorter in tho haulm
and to bear its pod three weeks earlier.
His first course is to grow n row of two
kinds side by sido-sorts which, in bis
opinion, give the desired result. At the
proper time ho fertilizes the flowers of ono
with tho other. AS soon rs tho pods nro
ripe and tho peas como to be shellcd out it
is sometimes found that they aro composed
of n regular mixture of round seeds in va
rious shades of blue and white and wrin-
klcd seed bearing similar distinctive char
actcristics, and this in face of the fact
that tho seeds Of the parents were almost
identical
Tho progeny Is sorted and sown the fol-
lowing season in rows side by side, and
tho outcome Is astonishing. Ono row will
perhaps DO quito fortnight earlier than
its neighbor. Another will only grow ono
foot high. a third will DO six feet, and
to such an extent docs this variation exist
that it quito negatives tho old saying, LAS
like rs peas in u pod''
Servings are repeated each season. al
ways retaining those showing the points
aimed Mt in tho greatest degree and it ul-
timatcly occupies six years before tho So
lectcd variety is ready for placing IN tho
market
HybridiziDg is quito distinct process
from the aforomentionod-tho ono being
tho intormingling Of two varieties of one
species; the other tho fusion of two dis
tinct species. AS a very fair example we
will take tho hybrid fruit exhibited in
London botweon goosobcrry and u black
ourrant. Although the means to bring
about such n curious result were applied
by the nrt of man, the outcome can only
be classod as freak of nature.
Among flowers there are many bcauti-
full things that have been obtained by this
means.
With oil the resources at mans COM
mand there aro certain colors in flowers
that have not yet been obtained, and o
handsome fortune awaits the first lucky
raiser of blue dnhlia, blue rose, a yell
low gcranium, q blue carnation or puro
white or blue nnsturtium.
1t will nstonish many who read this ar
ticle to know that it requires several tons
of such seeds rs mignonette, sweet peas,
nasturtium, nemophila and candytuft to
supply the contents of tho millions of
packets that are distributed ench season.
One large London firm gets through six
tons of mignonctte and 12 tons of sweet
peas, while among vegetables they have
laid themselves out to distribute co. 600
bushels Of garden peas.
When it is stated that each bushcl scales
about half n hundrcdweight, it will BIO
seen this represents the astounding weight
of 1880 tons, or sufficient to I'LL 1870
sacks, or 156 ordinary railway trucks. or
turnip seeds they expect their crops to
give them several hundred tons, the great
est market for this seed just now being
New Zealand, whore the root is largely
grown for producing tho mutton so popu-
lar in this country. Glover and grass seeds
are also handled by tho hundred tons in
tho course of n season.
The little canary and other cage birds ro-
quirc several hundred tons of tho canary
grass seed every year. Astonishing rs it
may seem, it is nevertheless true that ono
seed firm distributed over 100 tons of this
bird seed in 12 months.
Although certain seeds are handled in
such enormous quantities, there arc others
that are worth many times their weighs
in gold. These mostly consist of choice
strains of flowers. Take, rs instances, tho
double begonia, worth about 5000 an ounce,
calccolaria about $50 and certain sorts O.,
pansics $40.
Some OF those seeds arc rs minute ar
dust, yet the contents of each tiny packet
ms offered for sale comprise so many seeds,
the exact number being counted in by On
operator skilled at tho work and who is
obliged to wear specially constructed
glasses.
A flower farm is delightful sight in
summer, whore breadths of ono to ten
acres Of brilliant colors mako an effective
mark In tho landscape ana produce q series
Of ohromatic hues Of the most striking
character. recent visit to n field garden
of this description calls to mind few Of
tho beautiful things we saw.
Tho first to arrest attention was a new
chrysanthomum, with q rosettclilc center
and broad margin Of ray 1orcts of q palo
peach color and dark brown and claret at
tho baSo-a singular combination of colors
attractive and distinct
From this neutral tint the eye was ire,
sistibly drawn to fiery mass of orange
scarlet, II selected variety OF nasturtium,