Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-01-09
POMOLOGICAL ART.
TRYING TO PRODUCE sEEDLESs AND
THORNLESS FRUIT.

Methods by which Fruit Scientists Suc-
coed In Improving Upon Nature-Re-
sults Have shown That They Are on the
Right Basis-Slight Success with Apples
One Of the most important objects po-
mologists are striving for in to produce /
thornless and seedless fruits, and from
the results already obtained it Is not |
unlikely that the end will soon be real
lied. Seeds are not relished by the con-
sumers OF fruits, and If they could be
removed we would enjoy our grapes
without experiencing dread OF appen-
dicitis and kindred complaints.
Thorns are not in good standing
among fruit growers, because they are
constantly puucturing the best fruits
and, what is equally important the
skin Of the pickers The tborns and
prickles Of plants and trees were IN
doubtedly intended by nature 90 protect
them from animals, bat that is no rea-
son why they should be continued for
generation after generation on the Gull
tivated varieties. The gardener has no
need for them. and, for that matter, the
trees and shrubs have none either.
Our domesticated pears and apples
/
varieties. and pomologists have succeed
ed In Kidding them Of these spikes and
proxies by careful culture and selec-
| ton. Oranges and lemons have not
been cultivated in this country as sue
cessfully as pears and apples. and many
of them are very thorny. The wild and
sour orange trees OF Florida are bris-
Ting with thorns, as is also the high
priced king orange. one of the best OF
the mandarins. The wild lemon trees of
Florida are so thorny that growers ques-
tion the advisabiIity of grating the fine
La France lemons on them.
In Florida, however, the thorns of
the orange and lemon trees have been
: greatly reduced by selecting buds from
branches with the fewest thorns, and
by continuing this process year after
year the sharp spikes disappear. In Cal
ifornia nearly all Of the orange trees are
thornlesa-not naturally, but as the re
suit Of cultivation and selection.
\ The thorns on blackberries, raspber
. ries and rosebushes give the creates
bother to horticulturists in the north
and there is determined effort TO &c
: rid Of them. The thorns give endles
trouble to the pickers, and their remov
: al might save many puncture to deli
cate hands. There is an improved varie
ty Of raspberry placed on the market to
day which is entirely thornless, but tn
trouble is that quality and quantity c
/ fruit have been sacrificed to the gal
q made in destroying the thorns.
, There is little doubt that perfec
% thornless blackberries and raspberris
n will soon be obtained, for there is
10 widespread movement among gardener
Ie and seedsmen to accomplish this. tt
rs man who is fortunate enough to produC
a variety that gives perfect fruit witt
out the thorns will receive a pretty sti
: price for his plants.
! Seeds are also unnecessary plant pro-
- nets IN these advanced days OF hortlcu
ture, when gardeners propagate ha
a their stock by cuttings. gratis and slip
:. Nature need no longer trouble herse
: about the fear of losing any of her type
-, The modern horticulturist is sure
-, preserve every one of any value witho
NJ gathering seed
40 The California navel orange repl
~ sents the best type of fruit grown wit
20 out seeds Nature produced this oran
as freak at first. and man has tax
advantage of it to propagate fruit OF
high order Half the oranges of Ga
= fornia are grated with the navel, a
it is the most important fruit Of
my Pacific coast Nature tried to prodI
twins in the navel orange, and one 81
RI vived only as q protuberance IN
,h. blossom end, while the other expand
be into a we'll shaped fruit without see
APP These oranges are occasionally fou
by with small seedss but, az rule, Il
ow are perfectly seedless.
ara Several varities of seedless apples 1
ard pears have already been produced,
ow the quality of the fruit is generally p
.eet and nearly worthless They are cal
tile ''bloomless'' pears and apples and
" a exhibited more as curiosities than as
o q triumpbs Of genealogical art. Nevert
en- less, they are the beginning Of new
ned Of apple growing, and they represent
An primary stock of seedless fruits WI
side NAV produce In time tho finest fave
the apples and pears.
The grape industry would be hen'
rm- ed more than any other by the proc
,ted ton of new varieties without seeds,
uRh toward this end scores Of fruit grow
hen are working, especially in Califor
old The idea is to produce not only {
the grapes, but grapes that will make
and raisins. Seedless raisins would p
v at such boon to the whole civilized W
,site that any other variety would be qui
use, run out of the market.
reat There is a seedless grape of Corr
bers which commonly passes as a curr
old and the Sultana raisins Of southeas
been Europe are also seedless. But
linn fruits are so small that they can n
A answer tho purpose. What the
ug'' wants is a large, seedless grape,
,wn. perfect color and flavor, and to get
been it is necessary to experiment for y
ouse New York Journal.
out