Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-05-28
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AoRIcULTURISTS.
some Up-to-Dafs ffinss About Gull
tivation of the Soil ans Yields
Thereof Hortscnlture, sItIcuIturs and
Floricuiture.
MIXED Planting Of Pratt Trees.

t0Al04ta fG4iEL4ID DA duDAEc DC
planted separately or mixed to get best
results?
Prof. Burrill-I do not know. There
are quite a number of facts In favor
OF mixing them. 1t has been well prov
ed that some varieties of pears do
great deal better when SO planted. But
] do not know of facts that prove the
same in regard to the apple. Some
times the branch on the eastern side
of tree will bear well for year or
two and the branches on the other side
OF the tree be barren. The inference
has been that the pollen had been car
ried by the east wind from the tree to
the east; but, after all, that is only a
guess. A few years ago there used to
be things talked Of in our horticultural
meetings that appear not to be well
settled How frequently it happens
that tree blossoms well, sets its fruit
well, but often drops it. Now. this
would occur il the pollen fertilization
were not full enough. But whether
that dropping is really caused by that
Is thing we have not been able to
tell ! think 1t is an important ques-
ton, but can't give the information
desired.
OFF you were to plant an orchard
OF fifty acres, and were TO plant but
two varieties, and were going to put
them in two separate fields of twenty
five acres each. and suppose the varie-
ties were the Missouri Pippin and the
Ben Davis, and supposing your fields
were two miles apart, would you plant
one variety In one field or would you
mix them?
Prof. Burrill--I think / would want
10 be on the safe side and put some
OF each in each field: though mixing
them would make some difference
when / came to gather the apples. for
mixed apples are harder to gather, as
they have to be kept separate. The
apple bloom is fertilized both by the
pollen carried by the wind and by in
sects; when weather is fine 1t is largely
by insects. Now, these insects may
carry pollen farther than we some
times think: and yet I would rather
have the two varieties in adjoining
rows.
Give sometimes find an apple that
has set and grown to maturity and
yet has no seed at all; could such an
apple have been properly fertilizedl
Professor Burrsli-Yes, sir: there are
some apples that are entirely seedless.
suppose. however, that there is
enough pollen to fertilize the seed, but
that the latter has been injured in
some way, and does not develop. /
also think, as general thing. that APP
pies will not grow without being fer
tilized; but I do not say that some
varieties might not get into the habit
Of developing fruit without seed.
L. II. Read raised a squash this
year that grew to maturity and was
of good quality for cooking, and yet 1t
had no seeds in it.
Mr.. Johnson-I have tried the ex-
pertinent Of mixing trees. have an
orchard composed Of Maiden Blush,
Ben Davis and Jonathan / have an
other that is made up of odds and
ends, and there may be in that orchard
hundred varieties, hardly more than
two OF kind. Then have an orchard
that is wholly Ben Davis. think
that l have not gained anything by
mixing the trees, but have rather lost.
The orchard of mixed trees do not
bear any better than the other or
chards, and do not sell as well. / be-
iieve that apples are sufficiently self
fertilizing.
C. G. winn-This year I ran across
a seeding that was one-fourth Of q
mile from any other tree. II was on a
hill, and its apples were as red as APP
pies could be. / used to think that
they would fertiliEe better by being
mixed, but now think that do not
know.
Mr.. Riehl--I do not believe that the
apple needs cross fertilization, but l
believe that the pear does.
II. Augustine-And so does the plum.
Mr.. Riehl--I will not say as Is the
plum, but know the pear does. As to
apples. the cross-fertilizing has been
tried for long years and has been
foand of no value. That cross-fertil-
king does affect the pear is abundantly
demonstrated by the history Of the
seedless pears. From time to time
nurseries have set out pears that were
said to produce seedless fruits. And
they did when first set out. Especially
did they bear seedless fruit IL they
were set out by themselves. But II
they were set out near other pear trees
in few years they began to bear
seedy fruit. the result OF cross fertili-
zation. But we have never seen any
thing OF variety OF apples that have
no seeds unless grown near other trees.
We have, in this and other states. hun
dreds OF acres OF Ben Davis apple trees
growing by themselves and bearing as
well as 1t Is possible for apple trees
to bear. As they are not near other
trees It cannot be said that they are
cross fertilized. would plant each va
riety by itself.
Potato culture Preparing the Son.
To the Farmers Review:--Much
has been written in regard to the
soil best adapted to growing pota-
-.