Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-08-02
FRUITS WITHOUT SEED.
The TASK OF BREEDING THESE
PRODUCTS BECOMING EASIER.

SteauUy III Trying TO eliminate from
our common fruits the seeds and pits
that detract from their usefulness, and
from the vines and trees, the thorns
and brIers that interfere with their
disqualification. The progress of this
work is necessarily slow, but it is pos
sible to anticipate the time not far
distant when seedless fruit will be the
rule ;instead of the exception. In the
same way it is hoped that other little
inconveniences may be removed, such
as the hard shells of nuts, the thick
skin or rind. aud even the pulpy maca
or core that occupies nearly half the
space inside some varieties of oranges
and apples. The improvement of the
size, quality and flavor of fruits is not
more important or essential than this
elimination of outgrown and useless
organs of the products of tree and
vine, Under modern methods of cul-
tivation the seeds of our best varieties
of fruits can easily be dispensed with,
as they are Of little practical value.
Seeding stock raised from the wild or
common varieties answer the purpose
as we'll as rare or choice trees, and
!. their usual combination of hardness
s and virility influences the budded
scions for good. Nature had already
anticipated horticultufists in dispens-
ing with the seed and depending upon
other methods of propagation. The
banana, for instance, is a seedless
fruit which nature has apparently
changed through some peculiar pro-
cess. Rudimentary seeds are to be
found in the fruit today Dy Sitting
the banana down lengthwise rows of
of the rudimentary seeds will be ex-
posed to view. No doubt at one time
in its primitive wild state the banana
propagated itself by means of seeds,
but the use of suckers for this pur-
pose gradually made the seeds of less
value. Following ouI, the law of Ma
ture, the seeds, becoming useless or
gans; degenerated. Occasionally a
banana is found that does propagate
itself by means of its seeds, OF at
least perfect seeds are produced in
the fruit, which can germinate. II
for any reason the suckers of this
splaut should fail to do the work in
trusted to them it is not unlikely
that nature would reinstate the seed
organs and develop them gradually
to their early responsible position.
The pineapple and cauliaower are
two other common illustrations of how
nature occasionally dispenses with
seeds. The pineapple is almost seed
less, and, like the banana, its propa-
CATION is entirely By suckers. The
seeds are in low, rudimentary con-
,ditiol, but at one time they must have
had their function to perform in life,
and they are capable, under stress OF
circumstances, to renew their vitality.
THE type would not be exterminated
if the suckers should fail to perpetu
ate the plants. All the resources of
the plants would so to the assistance
of the seeds to develop and yitalize
them once more. This has been
found possible by experiment. By
selecting the epineapples with the most
promising seeds and propagating them
by the usual process, the seed organs
have gradually been developed until
they are able to reproduce their kind:
The egg plant is more interesting
than either the banana OF pineapple.
Here we have fruit which is only oc-
casionally seedless. That the seeds
are really immaterial to the welfare of
the plant is evidenced by the fact that
perfect fruits are often developed
whether the blossoms are fertilized or
not. In the hands of the horticul-
turists it would be an easy matter to
produce eggplants that would have
only the slightest trace Of rudimen-
tary seed organs, or, vice versa, it
would be possible to develop class.
of fruits that would be supplied with
an abundance of large, full-grown
seeds.
NATURES hints thus supplied in
few isolated cases have been the op-
portunities of man to raise class of
seedless fruits. Sometimes it is merely
freak of nature that happens only
once or twice in a generation, and if
the opportunity is missed the loss is
great. To this origin we owe our fine
California navel orange, which is gen
orally seedless fruit, although occa-
sionally a few small seeds are to be
found in it. The naval orange was an
effort of nature to produce twins, but
one of the twins aborted, merely sur
viving as protu'oerance in the bios
som end of the orange, little kernel
enveloped in the skin, which closely
resembles the human navel in appear
ance. In the effort to produce a
monstrosity the seeds were apparently
neglected. By taking the scions Of
this fruit tree and grating them on
Seeding stock We have practically es-
tablished a seedless orange. 1t -
Furthermore remarkable because of its
excellent quality and size. Usually
the,ffeaks of nature produce fruits
that are not very. good. Thus quite
numter of apple trees have been
produced, the fruit of which is nearly
OF quite seedless. Their origin has
been largely the same as that of the
navel orange. They are generally ab-
normalities, and they are often called
"bloomless," because the blossoms
have no petals and sometimes lack
stamens. Their appearance and quail
ity are not such as to recommend them
to the general consumer. The core is
small and insignificant, but the shape
is peculiar and the flavor poor.
But seedless apples and pears of
good quality may yet be propagated,
and gardeners are working toward this
end. Recent new varieties show great
improvements over those first pro-
duced, and in the course of time care
ful culture and selection may bring
about the desired results. How mnch
the cultu.e, selection and environ
want bova to Io with the prODer de-